BOWYER HAPPY AT SLOW PROGRESS
BLACKPOOL boss Gary Bowyer was the happier of the two managers after his Seasiders earned a welldeserved point at high-flyers Crewe Alexandra.
Ryan Lowe’s goal midway through the second half denied Blackpool all three points, but Bowyer was satisfied with a point against in-form Crewe.
“We played exceptionally in the first half,” said Bowyer. “Crewe are one of the better sides we have played and to come here and get a point is a job well done.
“We controlled the game for periods, especially in the first half. We have to find a way to put teams to bed when we have our noses in front and are controlling play. That is something we will be working on.
“We’re working hard to develop as a team and as individuals and we saw plenty of evidence that progress is being made. We are slowly climbing the league. There is a long way to go but we are heading in the right direction. We have a tough one on Tuesday against Portsmouth but we go into that game off the back of a very good away performance.”
Prior to this match Crewe had named only 13 players in their starting line-ups, the lowest in the Football League so far this season. An enforced change saw Charlie Kirk replace injured Chelsea loanee Alex Kiwomya and he could have given the Alex the lead but failed to connect with Chris Dagnall’s low cross. Seconds later, the home side were chasing the game. Blackpool cleared their lines and when Andy Taylor crossed from the left, Jon Guthrie, attempting to clear the danger, headed past Ben Garratt.
The goal spurred the Seasiders. Kyle Vassell was twice denied by Garratt and minutes later Harry Davis cleared Vassell’s header off the line.
Crewe thought they had equalised when Lowe got the final touch following a Dagnall header, but referee Carl Boyeson ruled the former Bury striker offside, a decision hotly-contested by the Crewe bench.
Seasiders keeper Sam Slocombe failed to appear after the interval having succumbed to the groin injury he suffered in the first half, and his replacement Dean Lyness was soon in action, having to save smartly from Dagnall.
Crewe were better in the second period and their persistence was rewarded when Lowe met George Cooper’s cross from the right to head firmly past Lyness.
And in the closing stages Lowe almost snatched all three points for Crewe but his swerving shot grazed the left-hand post.
“It’s disappointing not to take all three points,” said Crewe boss Steve Davis. “That said, we were not at our best in the first half. We improved in the second period and we looked more like ourselves, playing one-touch football and creating openings.
“Ryan Lowe provided that little bit of quality we needed and at the end we could have even nicked it.”