Blackpool started the new League One season with 3-2 defeat to Stevenage at Bloomfield Road

Steve Bruce admits he was left concerned by the manner of the goals Blackpool conceded in their 3-2 defeat to Stevenage at Bloomfield Road on the opening weekend of the League One season.

The afternoon got off to a great start for those in Tangerine on the Fylde Coast, with George Honeyman marking his debut with a goal after smashing a shot past Filip Marschall at the front post.

From there, things went quickly down hill. Jamie Reid had a goal put on a plate for him from a weak back pass from Fraser Horsfall, before the Boro striker added a second from the penalty spot in the final seconds of the first half.

Following the restart, Bailey Peacock-Farrell was at fault while playing out, leading to Dan Kemp bagging the visitors’ third.

Niall Ennis did pull one back in the closing stages, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.

“It’s disappointing, and it’s the manner of it,” Bruce said.

“We’ve gifted them the game. It’s hard enough to score a goal. To make one mistake is fair enough, but three on the opening day of the season.

“I thought the supporters were terrific, it was great to see the crowd fill that end, but we then shot ourselves in the foot which is frustrating.

“As a team we didn’t defend well enough last year, but today we did apart from the three mistakes. The one thing you can’t eradicate is mistakes - but the good players don’t make them.

“It’s a worry for me because it was our Achilles heel last year. We gave poor goals away and Stevenage didn’t have to do much as we gifted them the three goals with something you wouldn’t see on a school pitch.

“I couldn’t fault their effort or endeavour, especially with the way they kept at it. We’ve scored two goals at home but not defended well enough.

“Scoring wasn’t a problem last year and we look capable of being a threat again but we can’t make mistakes in the way we’ve made them today and gift them the match really.

“They had a shot after a minute, and that’s the only one on target they had apart from the three we gifted them.

“We’ve made basic errors which have cost us. We have to concentrate better, we can’t keep making mistakes like that otherwise we’ll never progress.”

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