'We didn't do enough in the final third': Neil Critchley reflects on Blackpool's draw against Crewe Alexandra

Neil Critchley says a lack of a cutting edge in the final third against Crewe stopped his Blackpool side from picking up a second league win of the season.
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Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Blackpool: Grant Ward nets first competitive goal for the Se...

The Seasiders were forced to settle for a point at Gresty Road this afternoon despite dominating for much of the game.

Pool had to come from behind to claim their draw, Grant Ward firing home after Mikael Mandron had broken the deadlock with Crewe’s first genuine chance of the afternoon.

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“I think you’d have to say on the balance of play and territory then we should have won the game,” Critchley said.

“I think we were the dominant team in terms of territory, balls into the box, balls forward and entries into the penalty box.

“We were well in front of Crewe and we limited them to very, very little throughout the whole game.

“The frustration is we didn’t do enough with our play in the final third, but I have to say they defended their goal very well. They got some blocks and headers in.

Blackpool boss Neil CritchleyBlackpool boss Neil Critchley
Blackpool boss Neil Critchley
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“It fell for us once when Wardy put it in, but it didn’t quite fall for us again and we probably needed that bit of luck near the end of the game for us to win the game, which on the balance of play, we probably deserved.”

Crewe’s goal came very much against the run of play, Mandron steering home from close range after Pool had been undone down their right.

“You can probably imagine how I felt. I think it might have been their first shot,” Critchley said.

“I know a lot of their players and I know how dangerous they are here, I know how they play football.

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“They’ve created a lot of chances in previous games and scored a lot of goals, but we’ve limited them to very little.

“To go 1-0 down, it was tough. But I have to say the response was excellent from our players and we showed real character and resilience and deservedly equalised.”

Ward struck 19 minutes from time, levelling with his first competitive goal for the club to ensure Pool didn’t slump to a fourth straight league defeat.

His strike flew into the back of the net with the aid of a slight deflection after Gary Madine’s initial effort had been blocked.

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“It’s something we speak to Wardy about in terms of getting into the penalty area and getting on the end of things,” Critchley said.

“It nearly happened a couple of times in the first-half but they got some real good blocks in, but it was a ricochet and it’s gone through some bodies but he’s got to be in there to score.

“Wardy has got good technique in and around the goal, so I’m delighted for him to get that goal.”

The Seasiders remained in the ascendancy during the final stages and looked the more likely side to snatch a late winner, but unfortunately it never arrived.

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“I thought our defensive organisation, our pressing, our counter-pressing was very good. We didn’t let them out of their own half at times,” Critchley said.

“Generally it was an excellent performance and it was us pushing forward at the end of the game. We’re not coming here to settle for a point, we were flying forward and throwing bodies into the box.

“I thought if one team was going to win it, then it was going to be us.”