'This was a huge missed opportunity': Matt Scrafton's verdict on Blackpool's frustrating draw against 10-man Hull City

Heading into this game, Hull City were in freefall. They hadn’t won since the opening day of the season and hadn’t managed to even score in seven of their last eight games.

Engulfed in off-the-field mire with the hated Allam owners, the fans’ fury has also targeted manager Grant McCann, who has lost 22 of his last 30 Championship games. You could even sense the anxiety among the home faithful.

The timing was ripe for the Seasiders to make the trip to Humberside and continue their fine run of form by claiming a third straight win and a fourth victory in five.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda, but had Neil Critchley’s men held on for the three points then they would now be sitting in ninth place in the Championship table, eight points clear of the bottom three.

Instead, they’ve given a Hull side that were there for the taking and seriously low on confidence a shot in the arm which could well result in an upturn in form.

Yes, it’s still early in the season and there’s plenty of points to play for, but these are the kind of results that stick in the claw. Every point in the Championship is precious.

The Seasiders only have themselves to blame though, they had more than enough chances to put the game to bed.

They were even gifted a one-man advantage for the final 10 minutes, but Lewie Coyle’s dismissal ended up being the moment that turned the game in Hull’s favour, rather than making sure of Blackpool’s victory.

It lifted the previously dormant crowd and, with nothing to lose, McCann’s struggling side began to throw caution to the wind.

The nature of their goal was inexplicable though from Pool’s point of view. To be countered from your own corner when you have a man advantage is inexcusable.

Given the ease with which the Tigers sliced through the Blackpool side in the 86th minute, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was the hosts that had the extra man.

It was a well-executed break from Hull, it has to be said. Keane Lewis-Potter did what Blackpool couldn’t and picked out a pinpoint ball in the final third for substitute Tom Eaves – who was previously linked to the Seasiders under Terry McPhillips’ reign – to slam home from close range.

It could have got even worse for Critchley’s men when fellow sub Tyler Smith looked to have picked out the bottom corner with a curling effort from the edge of the box, but thankfully for the beleaguered Seasiders Chris Maxwell was on hand to make a vital stop.

Despite that, Pool – who emerged a different side at the start of the second-half after a promising first 45 minutes – still had chances to retake the lead and snatch the win at the death.

Josh Bowler is a player of huge potential. He’s made a promising start to his Blackpool career and he’s the sort of player that gets fans off their seats.

He was a livewire in this encounter and made an instant impact coming off the bench, forcing himself into promising positions in the final third as a result of his direct running, dribbling and trickery.

But it’s all well and good getting into goalscoring positions, but it counts for little unless you convert the chances – or at least one of them.

The former Everton man had three good chances in the final 10 minutes of the game. To his credit, they were all of his own making. But to his discredit, his finishing was found wanting – and that’s not the first time we’ve said that this season.

If Blackpool are going to maintain their current position in mid-table and churn out positive results on a regular basis, then they’re going to have to be far more ruthless when opportunities like this arise. You simply can’t afford to miss three, four and five chances a game and expect to hang on for 1-0 wins every week, it just doesn’t happen.

In Bowler’s defence, he was far from the only culprit. Prior to his arrival onto the pitch, Blackpool worked the ball into Hull’s final third on a fairly frequent basis, only to pick out the wrong pass, produce a wayward shot or decide to pass when they ought to have shot and vice versa.

Critchley, who was as furious as I’ve ever seen him during his post-match interviews, admitted Blackpool’s decision-making and indecisiveness in counter-attacking situations has been their “Achilles heel” so far this season.

Pool’s head coach even suggested complacency had set in among the ranks at the interval, with the feeling that the game was already won – comparing it to the Doncaster Rovers debacle of last season when the men in tangerine threw away a two-goal half-time lead to lose 3-2.

This one wasn’t quite as bad as that defeat, but this still felt like a loss. It was certainly two points dropped, but you’ve just got to hope this result won’t come back to bite them on the backside come the end of the season.

Nevertheless, there are still positives to be taken. Pool have only lost one of their last five games and, up until the second-half at the MKM Stadium, they’ve been performing well.

Demetri Mitchell and Gary Madine getting their first starts of the season is a plus, with Mitchell providing the assist for Shayne Lavery’s superbly-taken opener.

It was the one and only time a Blackpool player picked out a teammate in the final third and Lavery dispatched it in clinical fashion to notch his sixth goal of the season.

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