Ten-man Blackpool come from behind twice to draw with Huddersfield
With both sides languishing inside the bottom three at kick-off, perhaps a low-quality start to this crucial contest wasn’t surprising.
Chances at both ends soon followed though, with Chris Maxwell making a brilliant save to deny Martyn Waghorn’s deflected effort, before Sonny Carey failed to hit the target from close range.
Just as the Seasiders appeared to be settling into the contest, defender Charlie Goode was forced off through injury, a blow which helped swing momentum the Terriers’ way.
It came as little surprise then when the visitors capitalised on sloppy defending from Blackpool to take the lead. Matty Pearson was first to respond after Mick McCarthy’s men failed to clear their lines and fire past Maxwell.
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts in first-half stoppage time, when key forward Gary Madine was sent off for an apparent elbow on Tom Lees - the eighth red card the Seasiders have picked up this term.
They would not give up though, roared on by the vociferous home support to grab the unlikeliest of equalisers.
Andy Lyons, who had replaced Goode earlier in the contest, struck a pivotal equaliser with a finish a forward would’ve been proud of, a sweetly-struck volley to net his first goal in Blackpool colours to hand his side a lifeline.
That would last less than five minutes though, as Josh Koroma exquisitely curled home what looked for all money to be the winner - a dagger through the hearts of the Tangerines’ players.
Once more though, their fighting spirit prevailed, with the returning Bowler sending the supporters wild with an emphatic finish that rescued a crucial point for the hosts on the brink of FT.
Blackpool remain winless since October, but McCarthy’s home debut can at least provide reasons for positivity with the resilience on display, while keeping relegation rivals Huddersfield locked in the bottom three with them.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Matty Pearson (Huddersfield Town)
