Bowyer is fuming as Pools disappear

BLACKPOOL boss Gary Bowyer believes not enough of his players stood up to be counted as they conceded a late equaliser to let a two-goal lead slip at home to Crewe.

Ollie Turton’s strike two minutes from time, combined with Chris Dagnall’s effort, wiped out the 2-0 half-time lead Nathan Delfouneso and Tom Aldred had given Blackpool.

The Seasiders haven’t won at home since November and their play-off hopes took a blow as they slipped to 14th, leaving Bowyer disappointed.

“Clearly some of our players haven’t stood up in the second half and that’s the problem,” Bowyer said.

“The second half was unrecognisable from the side that played at Carlisle last week and the second half at Portsmouth on Tuesday.

“The two away games weren’t a factor. There’s no excuse there, this is where you have to stand up and be counted and have big hearts. We won’t use that as an excuse.

“Before their second goal, it’s our free-kick and we’ve just kicked it straight out. We will find the answers regarding them not taking responsibility. We now have to recover and keep working at it.”

Crewe started brightly but Blackpool struck after eight minutes when Brad Potts crossed for Delfouneso, who headed powerfully past Ben Garratt from six yards.

The Seasiders were two to the good however, after 27 minutes, as the ball broke to centreback Aldred 12 yards out and he thumped it into the bottom corner.

However, David Artell’s side halved the deficit after 62 minutes.

A fast counter-attack cut Blackpool open and Dagnall bundled home the rebound after Sam Slocombe saved from George Cooper.

And Crewe snatched their equaliser with two minutes remaining as Jordan Bowery nodded down for Turton to volley past Slocombe from 12 yards.

“We were excellent in the second half and we should have won in the end,” Crewe manager Artell said.

“We shouldn’t have been 2-0 down in the first half, we were on top and we’ve come in two goals down.

“There was nothing in the game, I thought we had a lot more in us, certainly in terms of energy and belief. I think we showed that in the second half.

“I also think Ben Garratt’s made a couple of terrific saves as well and that doesn’t half give us a shot in the arm.

“That gave us the platform to go on and get something out of the game.”