Why there's pressure on Blackpool to get back to winning ways against Birmingham City

The cruel Good Friday defeat to West Brom means the Seasiders are now without a win in their last five games.

While Pool have very little to play for other than their final league position, Critchley believes it’s important to finish the season strongly and take momentum into the summer.

“We’ve got to get back to winning games. We’ve not had that feeling for a while now,” Critchley told The Gazette.

“The games we’ve faced have been really tough games against big clubs and good teams and we’ve been competitive in all of them. But we’ve not won any of them.

“A little bit of luck maybe would help, but we’ve got two home games to go and Birmingham up first, so we want to make sure the season doesn’t just peter out to nothing.

“We’ve worked so hard this season, we’re here on merit, we deserve to be where we are and let’s have a real go.

“It felt a little bit like that in the first-half on Friday. I think the heat played a bit of a part as well, we’re not used to playing in sunshine and heat and both sets of players looked a bit jaded. It lacked an intensity, the game.

“I think we stepped it up in the second-half and that’s why we got on top, but we couldn’t sustain it and our football wasn’t quite good enough to do that.

“Birmingham comes around quickly and we’re at home, so let’s give our supporters something to shout about.”

Despite losing the game to Karlan Grant’s stoppage-time effort, the travelling Pool fans responded positively and gave an extended ovation to Critchley and his players at the full-time whistle.

“It was incredible,” Critchley said.

“I’m sure we all watched the Atletico Madrid v Manchester City the other night and whatever you make of the game and how it ended, the way the Madrid supporters supported their team at the end of the game was very similar to this.

“The fans appreciate the honesty and the endeavour of the players and it just fuels your desire to give them more.

“You want to win the game so much and give them a successful team and when you don’t and you lose, you feel as though you’ve let them down.

“That was a really touching moment towards the end of the game.”