Pool still pushing for the play-offs

Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer told his players they still have a chance of finishing in the top seven

The Seasiders were left to rue a penalty miss from Kyle Vassell – Pool’s seventh miss from 12 yards this season.

But Bowyer believes his side should have been awarded at least one other penalty, while his Stanley counterpart John Coleman also had his own gripes with the referee’s decisions.

Asked how disappointing Vassell’s spot kick miss was, Bowyer said: “Huge. That’s the only word you can use really. It provided us with the opportunity but it wasn’t the best penalty by a long stretch.

“But I think we responded OK after it. We kept going and didn’t get too disappointed and I thought we had a couple of great shouts for a couple of more penalties.

“I’ve just watched their incident back. At the time I thought Sam (Slocombe) had taken the ball and I didn’t think it was a penalty having seen it again.

“But we have a great shout for another penalty from the handball.

“But we finished strong and it was a hell of a ball in from Jordan (Flores) and a great header from Kelvin Mellor to hit the post but it just seems to be fine margins we’re on the wrong side of at the moment”

The draw means Blackpool are still eighth, two points off Carlisle United in the final play-off spot as other results went their way.

Bowyer insists he and his players are remaining positive and believes the race for a top seven finish will go down to the last day.

“One or two other results went our way again so we’re still in there fighting,” he said. “Like I said a couple of weeks ago it will go to the last whistle, I’ve just told that to the players.”

The stalemate wasn’t a usual goalless draw with both sides having chances to win it, with Bowyer adding: “I thought we were decent with the ball and had a lot of possession – in the first half especially.

“I thought there weren’t many clear cut chances in the first half but we had the best one with Bright (Osayi-Samuel).

“We cancelled each other out a little bit in the second half and I don’t remember their goalie having a save to make and the same goes for Sam too. But then the key moments start, don’t they?”