Southend United 1-2 Blackpool: Chris Powell on Shrimpers' defeat to dogged Seasiders

Southend United 1-2 Blackpool: Armand Gnanduillet scores late on to hand Seasiders priceless win

The Seasiders claimed the three points thanks to Armand Gnanduillet's header seven minutes from time.

Southend had levelled just eight minutes earlier through Jason Demetriou after Ollie Turton had given Blackpool an early first-half lead.

“This is a dogfight of a season already for us,” Powell told the Southend Echo. “It’s time for people to stand up and fight for the shirt. They have to do more, it’s as simple as that.

“I’m frustrated and angry but I can’t keep saying we’re unlucky.

“We started off well and I thought we were on top to start with but then we gave away a poor goal again.

“Then for some reason we became edgy and started to do some crazy things to play into their hands.

“We got back into the game through sheer hard work but the bit I don’t like is that we think the job is done when we still have to see it through.

“It’s happening too often and that must be about six points we could’ve had with a bit more stubbornness.

“A striker just can’t have a free header in the box like that, it just can’t happen. How many times does it happen for us? Not often.

“You have to get your body in there and defend your goal. We have to be streetwise too.”