Steve Bruce shares Blackpool squad feeling following disappointing outings for likes of ex-Stockport County and Sheffield Wednesday figures
Blackpool started the new League One season with 3-2 defeat to Stevenage at Bloomfield Road.
A number of debutants enjoyed a disappointing stint to life with Blackpool in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Stevenage.
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, but things went quickly downhill from there.
Jamie Reid had a goal put on a plate for him from a weak back pass from former Stockport County skipper Fraser Horsfall, before the Boro striker added a second from the penalty spot in the final seconds of the first half after a handball was given against ex-Sheffield Wednesday defender Michael Ihiekwe.
Following the restart, Birmingham City loanee Bailey Peacock-Farrell was at fault while playing out, leading to Dan Kemp bagging the visitors’ third.
Niall Ennis was on hand with a late goal, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation, the earlier errors proving costly.
“They’ll all be disappointed, of course they will, they will be disappointed to hell,” said Blackpool boss Steve Bruce.
“Look, we’ve got another game next week and we’ll go from there.
“We knew what Stevenage were going to be, they’re good at set pieces and very difficult to play against. Fair play to them, they do what they’re good at. I’ve got the utmost respect for their manager and what he’s achieved. We made it easy for them, and that’s my frustration.
“The beauty of the division is there’s different styles and different ways of playing, it’s got it all.
“We’ve got to identify what we are. We’ve done that but we’ve been a bit unfortunate that we’ve not had our wide players.”
A worry for Bruce
Bruce admitted he was concerned by the nature of the Seasiders’ goals against Stevenage, given their poor defensive record last season.
“It’s disappointing, and it’s the manner of it,” he stated.
“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.”
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