Memory Match: Brett Ormerod sent off as 10-man Blackpool earn deserved point at Coventry

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It seems that Blackpool, now in their third season in the Championship, have finally come of age.

In other words, since Ian Holloway took charge they are no longer boys in this division of men.

This much was summed up during 90 minutes at Coventry, a place the Seasiders haven’t won at since 1937 – a depressingly long time ago.

Blackpool didn’t quite manage to break that long-running duck but their performance merited plaudits in just about every other way.

After a cagey first half, when neither team was confident enough to grasp the baton and run with it, Holloway’s side came out after the restart and played some great stuff.

Even the controversial 52nd-minute dismissal of Brett Ormerod couldn’t halt them.

Pool simply regrouped and displayed the character that has served them so well over recent times, going ahead through a beauty of a goal and coming oh-so-close to a victory they would have more than deserved.

Alas they were pegged back towards the death, courtesy of a fortunate goal for the home side which hit the net via Alex Baptiste’s leg. But a moral victory this most definitely was.

This contest at the Ricoh Arena took an age to get going. The first half was drab and uninspiring.

Mind you a pudding of a pitch didn’t help.

Keith Southern almost pounced on a Richard Wood mistake and Keiren Westwood saved smartly from Ormerod.

At the other end Paul Rachubka had to be alert to deny Michael McIndoe with just 44 seconds gone and later Leon Best spooned wide after getting between Rob Edwards and Baptiste.

The manager nipped down from the directors’ box – he’ll be back in the dugout on Wednesday, his two-match touchline ban is now over – to give the half-time team talk. He told his players to move the ball quicker and attack, and the advice was heeded.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher, who’d been quiet during the first half, forced the keeper into a save, then Charlie Adam did the same direct from a corner before putting a free header wide.

After Taylor-Fletcher was felled on the edge of the area, Adam thumped the free-kick into the wall. The loose ball fell to Barry Bannan, whose sizzling left-footer from distance smashed against the underside of the bar.

Four great chances in the opening few minutes of the half. But there was barely time to be disappointed at not scoring, for as Bannan was about to deliver the subsequent corner all hell broke loose.

Midfielder Aron Gunnarsson, marking Ormerod, collapsed to the floor in the six-yard box and referee Dean Whitestone didn’t hesitate in flourishing a red card.

An astonished Ormerod, never before sent off in his 14-year playing career, was fuming and nearly everyone got involved in the ensuing melee.

It was five minutes before order was restored and a stricken Gunnarsson was helped from the field.

There was no doubt Gunnarsson was smashed by someone but whether it was was Ormerod, and more to the point whether it was deliberate, remains to be seen.

No matter, Pool appeared not so much undaunted by their loss as inspired and they took the lead on 69 minutes when Bannan hit another screamer goalward.

Remarkably this one again struck the underside of the bar, but this time bounced down over the line and into the roof of the net.

It was a belter, a probable goal of the season winner.

Euphoria for the players and the 1,000 plus fans in the stand behind the goal.

Pool continued to boss proceedings, so much so that the home fans began to boo and jeer their own team.

Chris Coleman responded by bringing big guns Clinton Morrison and Freddy Eastwood off the bench.

Taylor-Fletcher almost nipped in at the back post, at the other end Morrison couldn’t beat Rachubka from close range.

Even stevens and it seemed the 10-man Seasiders, fuelled by a sense of injustice, were on course for a famous and long-awaited win in these parts.

Then, with seven minutes left, a cruel twist. There was great skill and cutback by Carl Baker on the right flank – though his run could and perhaps should have been halted earlier – and Coventry got lucky big time when Gary Deegan’s weak shot hit Baptiste’s leg and squirmed past Rachubka.

Adam almost rampaged through, Taylor-Fletcher dragged a shot wide. Coventry half threatened but Pool were never under pressure and it was little surprise that Holloway felt it two points lost rather than one gained.

The manager is probably right, after all Pool had 17 shots compared to the home side’s 13, eight corners compared to the Sky Blues’ three.

But, with 10 men and against a side which had won its last three home league matches, this was still a great draw and a valuable share of the spoils.

For the Seasiders it’s one defeat in the last five away games – that’s the sign of a team which has matured nicely, and is finally challenging rather than struggling.

TEAMS

Coventry: Westwood, Wright, McPake, Wood, Cranie, Baker, Bell, Clingan, Gunnarsson, McIndoe, Best

Blackpool: Rachubka, Baptiste, Edwards, Evatt, Crainey, Adam, Bannan, Southern, Vaughan, Taylor-Fletcher, Ormerod

Attendance: 16,019