'We didn't compete well enough': Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray blasts his side's first-half display following defeat to 'underdogs' Blackpool

Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray attributed his side's woeful first-half display as the main reason for their 2-1 defeat against Blackpool.
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Blackpool 2-1 Blackburn Rovers: Injury-hit Seasiders produce a heroic effort to ...

The injury-hit Seasiders lost Chris Maxwell (quad), Richard Keogh (groin) and Shayne Lavery (hamstring) to injury during this afternoon’s all-Lancashire affair at Bloomfield Road.

With other players going down and complaining of knocks, the Seasiders somehow managed to find a way to see out the win - even when eight minutes of time were added on at the end of the 90.

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Goals from Lavery and his replacement Jerry Yates gave Pool a deserved two-goal at the break after producing some scintillating football.

But Blackburn made for a tense second-half when Ben Brereton-Diaz reduced the arrears five minutes into the second-half.

But Critchley’s side held on for a fourth win in six, extending their superb run of form which has seen them avoid defeat in five of their last six.

Mowbray's Blackburn, meanwhile, were frustrated not to take advantage of Blackpool' s injury woes.

Blackburn boss Tony MowbrayBlackburn boss Tony Mowbray
Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray
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“Collectively we didn’t compete well enough first half and the frustration was that we talked a lot about how this game was going to be,” Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“Blackpool's mentality would have been as an underdog, rightly or wrongly, and that’s how I portrayed it to the team and how an underdog fights and scraps for every ball.

“There were too many turnovers, too many balls going towards our own goal than theirs and we managed to turn that around second-half and if anything that’s a slight on the team that they can lift it so much.

“Why it didn’t start like that from the first kick-off? I’m not sure.

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“There was a lot of talk about how this game was going to pan out and how they had to be ready for it, but great credit to their players that they managed to get on top in the first 45 minutes.”

The second-half was a complete role reversal from the first, with the visitors reducing the arrears within five minutes of the break through talisman Ben Brereton-Diaz.

Blackburn piled on the pressure late on as the Seasiders fatigued, but they couldn't take advantage.

"We prepared the team for what we expected, let’s give Blackpool some credit for the way they came out of the blocks," Mowbray added.

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“Were we second best in the first-half? Undoubtedly. There was a frustration in the dressing room at half-time.

“Because the team are young and have been doing alright, these are harsh, but good, lessons that not every game is a nice game of football, there are days when you have to roll your sleeves and it becomes man on man.

“We talked at half-time about winning your individual battles, not many of our players won them in the first-half, so it was a game of two halves, probably, but we are really disappointed not to come away with anything from the second-half and the fact they managed to turn it around.

“Credit to Blackpool, there was an amazing atmosphere in the stadium right from the first whistle and it’s amazing how the supporters are behind the team and you can see why they’re doing alright and a difficult side to play against.”

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