Full range of emotions for Blackpool boss

Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer had mixed emotions after watching his side draw 1-1 at Walsall.

There was pride at the way they battled back to level through Viv Solomon-Otabor after Erhun Oztumer’s first-half goal for the Saddlers.

There was irritation at the disputed free-kick which Oztumer curled past Ryan Allsop from 25 yards.

For good measure, there was also relief that Pool left with a point after conceding a number of late free-kicks on the edge of the box.

“I think it could have been more,” Bowyer said when asked about the point his players gained.

“They are coming away, putting in a performance like that and being disappointed with the draw, which is great for the mindset.

“They have to keep playing that way and keep believing in what we are doing. We’re doing all right and going the right way.”

The manager was annoyed, however, at referee Tom Nield’s decision to give Walsall the free-kick from which they took the lead.

However, that decision was evened out in the second half, when the referee mysteriously ruled out Jon Guthrie’s close-range header.

Bowyer said of the free-kick which gave Walsall the lead: “I could get in trouble but everybody in the ground knew apart from one person.

“People can say it’s a fantastic free-kick but it should never have been a free-kick – but there you go.”