Wasteful Blackpool threw it away says Bowyer

Gary Bowyer has called on his Blackpool players to step up and take responsibility after the Seasiders were beaten at home for the fourth time in their last five League One games.
Viv Solomon-Otabor on the attack but Pool couldn't take their chancesViv Solomon-Otabor on the attack but Pool couldn't take their chances
Viv Solomon-Otabor on the attack but Pool couldn't take their chances

Pool threw away what would have been a priceless three points on Saturday after former Fleetwood Town attacker David Ball scored twice in the closing stages to earn Rotherham United a 2-1 win.

Kelvin Mellor had put Blackpool ahead with his third goal in as many games, but the Seasiders were unable to hold on and were once again undone at the death.

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Bowyer said: “We’ve got to keep working with them – a lot of them on that pitch are young.

“Sometimes you’ve got to learn the hard way and we’re doing that right now.

“But we’ve got to continue to support them, back them and work with them.

“But you can work with them as hard as you like or for as long as you like on the training pitch – it’s actually on match day when the individuals have to step up and take responsibility.

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“Every game provides us with an opportunity whether teams have got a fit squad or not. We’ve got injuries and people missing.

“But next Saturday provides us with another opportunity (at Shrewsbury) to try again to get three points.

“But we have to go about the game in certain areas better.”

Bowyer’s men dominated a scrappy first half but were unable to find that decisive second goal.

Rotherham stepped it up in the second period but Pool still had chances.

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Pool’s way on the counter However, these were squandered to add to Bowyer’s frustration.

The Pool boss added: “When half-time comes and we have been as dominant as we were first half, then you always know there’s going to be a reaction from the opposition.

“What pleased me is that we had seen that off. We stepped up from previous performances.

“They were open for the counter and we countered twice excellently but we need to apply those finishing touches.

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“I thought we played some terrific stuff and we scored an outstanding goal.

“I wish I was standing here now talking about that, waxing lyrical about the technique Kelvin had with his stunning strike.

“We’re not going to be one of those teams who just launch the ball forward. We want to be brave and creative, and we were again.

“It’s not a case of me standing here saying, ‘We gifted them the goals and that was it.’ But they were two poor goals from our point of view.

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“And there’s the other end of the pitch as well because we’ve had two great opportunities to put the game to bed with Viv (Solomon-Otabor) and Nathan (Delfouneso) and we’ve not taken them.

“So it’s a collective effort, not just one or two individual mistakes.”