Bowyer boosted by Blackpool's sticking power

The Seasiders are becoming League Two’s draw specialists after Kyle Vassell’s stoppage-time equaliser secured a third successive 2-2 scoreline.

The previous two matches against Crewe and Exeter had seen Bowyer’s men denied at the death, but this time the late strike came from the men in tangerine after Vassell came off the bench to build on Nathan Delfouneso’s second- half goal.

When asked if the overriding emotion was one of frustration or pride, Bowyer replied: “A bit of both really.

“It is simple: we have drawn too many games this season.

“But from that, you have to look at the players and how they don’t like getting beaten. They stick at it.

“It gives us a platform to build on, and we have to keep going and really push on now.

“It’s frustrating that we haven’t won the game but I’m proud about how they’ve gone about it and got back in the game.”

Barnet deservedly took the lead in the first half when their top goalscorer John Akinde had the simple task of tapping into an empty net after a deflected effort had bounced off the post and fallen to his feet.

Defender Charlie Clough doubled the Bees’ lead at the start of the second period, directing a free header from inside the six-yard box past keeper Dean Lyness, making his first appearance of 2017 after Pool number one Sam Slocombe was injured in training

Bowyer added: “It is a fine line but that’s football. You do need a bit of luck along the way and possibly we’ve not had that much of it this season, but we’ve only lost nine and we’ll keep going and keep fighting.

“We will build on this but you have to make your own luck.”

Bowyer questioned his players’ desire and will to win after Saturday’s draw on the south coast but he was more than happy to pay tribute to their fighting qualities last night.

“We’ve got to praise their spirit and their character because they didn’t feel sorry for themselves when we went 2-0 down,” he said.

“I think given what has happened to us in the previous two games, they knew there was always going to be a chance.

“We were attacking. We made attacking substitutions. We really went for it and got our reward for it.

“It just proves the game is never over until the referee blows that final whistle and you have to stay in it.”

Pool remain 15th in League Two, two points behind Saturday’s visitors Morecambe.