Blackpool's will to win worries boss Bowyer

An injury-time equaliser from Exeter’s Reuben Reid denied the Seasiders a priceless League Two win on the road, with Bowyer’s men dropping yet another two points as they drew for the seventh time in 10 games.

The Devon draw came seven days after Crewe Alexandra fought back from two goals down to share the spoils 2-2 at Bloomfield Road and means Pool have now slipped to a lowly 15th place in the table.

Bowyer said: “I think you have to look at what you need to be winners week in, week out. That comes down to the character and the individual.

“I have to come out here and talk about the game and the players. Well, we’ve just thrown it back at the players in there. How badly do they want to win? How much does it mean to them?

“Because I know I’m getting back on the bus for six and a half hours and I’ll do well to speak to anyone.

“Maybe (I have to question) the desire, the desire to do what it takes to win week in, week out, so we’ll see Tuesday (when Blackpool play Barnet at home).

Bowyer was visibly despondent at the final whistle and opted to use several one-word answers when questioned in his post-match interview.

When asked what he made of the game, he said: “It was a draw today.”

How disappointing was it to squander a 2-0 lead? “Very.”

When asked to comment on Brad Potts’ goal and assist, he said: “He did very well with it, you’re correct.”

Asked if the draws are the problem, he said: “Yeah.”

How do you rectify the draws? “By winning games.”

Asked if the defence was the problem, Bowyer said: “Well, we’ve come away from home, scored two goals and still not won the game.

“That’s the major disappointment – their two goals. They’re poor defensive goals, especially the second one.”

But the Pool boss was more than happy to heap praise on the 228 travelling Blackpool fans, adding: “My disappointment is certainly not with the supporters because once again it was an unbelievable effort from them to come all this way.

“The frustration and the disappointment is certainly not with them.

“I’m massively frustrated for them. Don’t get me wrong, they will go away and say we played well and scored two good goals, but we should have won the game.

“At the end of the day, we’ve not done that and that’s been our undoing.”

The gap between Pool and the play-off zone is now seven points.