Match verdict: Definitely a night best forgotten quickly

The lights, the atmosphere and the football would often warm up even the coldest of evenings on the Fylde coast.

Sadly, at the moment, the proposition of a freezing cold trip to watch the Seasiders isn’t really appealing – even to the die hards.

Karl Oyston has been quoted this week saying he is once again enjoying games – but he surely didn’t last night.

In a season of dull and uninspiring games, last night’s 0-0 draw against struggling Oldham was the worst, by some distance.

Blackpool managed just three shots on target in the whole game, while it’s 
another point on the board, it was yet another which reminded us just how poor League One is.

And the Seasiders are, at the moment, proving as average as they come.

There were few surprises in Neil McDonald’s team selection after Saturday’s terrible defeat to Shrewsbury, with two of the back four dropping out of the side.

Emmerson Boyce and David Ferguson both really struggled against Shrewsbury, and there really was no surprise to see them replaced by Clark Robertson and 
Hayden White.

Elsewhere, Jim McAlister came into the midfield, with Mark Yeates no doubt disappointed to miss out from the start against his old club.

The pre-match downpour on the Fylde coast left the Bloomfield Road pitch looking lively at kick-off, almost as lively as the start the game.

It took just two minutes for their first effort on goal, with Carl Winchester testing Dean Lyness from 25 yards.

While the save may have looked routine, the bounce a yard in front of the keeper made it tricky.

Just three minutes later it was Blackpool’s turn to threaten, and McAlister couldn’t have come much closer to breaking the 
deadlock.

Mark Cullen did well to find Danny Philliskirk at the near post with a cross, and the former Oldham man’s flick was attacked by McAlister only for it to be turned onto the post by the keeper.

It wasn’t the most pleasant effort on the eye but it almost handed Pool a lead.

Blackpool at least tried to play some football as they eased into the game, probably dealing with the surface better than their visitors.

Although Cullen may have wanted it to open and swallow him up as he got an 18 yard volley totally wrong – it almost threatened the corner flag on 18 minutes.

While Blackpool were playing most of the football, Oldham looked happy to play on the counter attack, using Jonathon Forte as the outlet.

And it was the big striker who went close on 23 minutes, cutting in from the left before firing a powerful effort wide.

While nothing happened for the rest of the half, there was a clear improvement from Saturday, particularly at the back.

At right-back, White gives the side a much more solid look, while Robertson eased his way back into the side well at left-back.

They gave little away to Oldham in terms of chances, but you have to say neither did the away side - the first half wasn’t going to warm any of the small crowd up.

Blackpool’s 4-3-1-2 formation was designed to allow Redshaw space to drop and get the ball behind Cullen and Philliskirk, but sadly it did little but clog-up the centre of the pitch.

The Seasiders’ lack of width made them very easy to play against at times last night, they didn’t have any threat down either wing all evening.

At times Oldham simply matched them in the middle, and the lack of an effort on goal in the opening 45 minutes from McDonald’s men (barring McAlister’s effort which hit the post) probably proved the point.

At half-time, the talk in the press room was just how the gathered media were going to fill the column inches this morning – it was far from a thriller.

Boosted by the arrival of fan favourite John Sheridan, Oldham were cheered on by a decent and vocal travelling support, and it clearly inspired their players at the start of the second period.

After a couple of corners caused Pool problems, new loan man Arron Holloway couldn’t have come much closer to getting on the end of a brilliant Matt Palmer cross. Luckily for Blackpool it was inches away from his boot.

Winchester’s cross-shot just two minutes later ended with an easy enough save for Lyness.

And in a game of no action, Oldham substitute Curtis Main couldn’t have asked for a better chance with just 17 minutes remaining.

Danny Lafferty’s effort from range was turned perfectly into the path of the striker who somehow headed over from two yards.

It was a huge let-off for the Seasiders.

When Blackpool did eventually venture forward their chances were wasted, with fans losing patience on 82 minutes when Brad Potts blasted a free-kick high and wide.

Potts has been a shadow of himself in recent games.

Martin Paterson at least offered a bit of life after replacing Cullen in attack, he headed straight at Coleman before a huge chance fell his way in the final minute.

He raced onto a pass from Robertson long ball to lob the advancing keeper, only for it to drop just wide of the post.

It would have been cruel on Oldham if Pool had found a winner, it was a game neither side deserved to win.

After saying he was aiming for six points from two home games against struggling sides, McDonald has had to settle for just one.

It’s all they’ve deserved.