BOWYER WANTS POOL TO BUBBLE
BLACKPOOL boss Gary Bowyer feels his side must build upon their positive away form after the Tangerines fought for a well-earned point in a goalless Fylde Coast derby at Fleetwood.
The Seasiders had the better of the few openings at goal that did arise, in what was a drab encounter played between sides who harbour play-off ambitions.
Bowyer said: “We had the two main opportunities in the game.
“Their goalkeeper made a very good save from Sean Longstaff in the first half, then we flashed one across the face of goal in the last minute of the half.
“But we have come away from home, that is two away fixtures and two clean sheets [Blackpool won 1-0 at Peterborough last weekend], which is impressive from us but we must build and keep doing that moving forward.
“We are pleased, as we have come away from home again and our goalkeeper hasn’t had a shot to save, so we are doing a lot of things right.
“I’m delighted with the attitude, the resilience and the character of this group.”
In a contest marred by the adverse weather conditions, Blackpool enjoyed the better of the play during the first half.
They went close through former Fleetwood midfielder Jimmy Ryan, as well as Sean Longstaff, chances that forced Cod Army goalkeeper Alex Cairns into action, while Jay Spearing dragged wide from inside the penalty area.
As play resumed, neither of the two local rivals could facilitate any fruitful opportunities at goal in what was a scrappy, passionate affair played in front of an expectant full house of 5,035 at Highbury.
Towards the conclusion of the fixture, both teams traded attempts on goal, in a last-gasp, desperate attempt to turn one point into three.
Blackpool had centreback Will Aimson to thank when he valiantly turned Kyle Dempsey’s floated free-kick from the right flank away from danger amid pressure from Nathan Pond, while Longstaff tested Cairns with a snapshot.
Wes Burns flashed a low drive through a sea of players but it went wide and the result means that the two teams remain level on points in mid-table.
Fleetwood boss Uwe Rosler said: “We are used to those windy conditions, it is not easy, but I felt we showed a big reaction.
“We pressed them hard up the pitch, didn’t allow them to get on the ball, we pressed them up to the halfway line.
“We made one or two errors which led to them having chances.
“And then, in the second half we were on top but we didn’t do enough to win. “We put a lot of effort into the game throughout and for me it is pleasing.”