Returning keeper Scott Loach made three important saves from Blackpool midfielder Faris Haroun as the Blues and Seasiders drew a blank at Portman Road. Top scorer David McGoldrick headed disappointing Town's best opportunity wide in the ninth minute with Loach thwarting Haroun twice in the first half and once late on in the second.

Loach came in for his first league start since August with first-choice keeper Dean Gerken missing out having woken up with a stiff neck.

Midfielder Paul Green was handed his full debut and his first appearance for Town at Portman Road, while Luke Hyam returned to the starting line-up after his gashed leg.

Frank Nouble and Jay Tabb dropped to the bench, alongside Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, back from his hamstring injury, and academy keeper Michael Crowe.

Former Town striker Michael Chopra was on the bench for Blackpool, alongside ex-Blues loanee Ricardo Fuller.

Following a minute’s applause in tribute to Sir Tom Finney, McGoldrick went close to breaking the deadlock in the third minute. First he just failed to get a touch on Chambers’s cross from the right, before David Perkins blocked his shot after Stephen Hunt had cut it back from the left.

Daryl Murphy went close in the sixth minute, breaking into the area on the right and hitting a low shot which Seasiders’ keeper Matt Gilks could only palm away, fortunately for the visitors just beyond Green.

Town had started well and in the ninth minute again went close, Luke Chambers crossing from the right and McGoldrick heading just wide at the near post. The Blues number 10 will feel he should have been celebrating his 17th goal of the season.

Both sides were forced into substitutions after only 12 minutes. Hyam, who had been out with a gashed leg, was replaced by Tabb, while Andrew Halliday took over from Jack Robinson at left-back for the Tangerines.

Blackpool’s first chance fell to Kirk Broadfoot, the Scot turning a 16th minute freekick from deep into the side-netting.

Town had been unable to make their early dominance count and in the 29th minute the visitors weren’t far from going in front when Stephen Dobbie played in Haroun and the Belgian midfielder forced Loach to save well down to his left. The ball ran loose but Chambers did well to get to it and stab it away ahead of Perkins.

Haroun picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Tabb soon after, then Steven Davies lashed well over from distance.

The Seasiders were by now on top with the Blues making little headway in the Blackpool half and giving the ball away too easily in their own territory.

On 40 Loach again had to save down to his left from Haroun after Smith had given the ball away on the Town left.

After a bright start in which they should have gone in front, McGoldrick’s chance having been the best opportunity, the Town performance drifted and only a couple of sharp Loach saves had prevented the visitors from being ahead after a not overly enthralling half.

Haroun, who was linked with Town prior to his move into English football with Middlesbrough in the summer of 2011, threatened again within a minute of the restart, hitting a right-footed shot across the face of goal from Dobbie’s pass.

Boss Mick McCarthy had switched around his midfield at the break with Green moving into the centre and Tabb going out to the right. In the 50th minute MacKenzie was booked for a foul on McGoldrick.

Murphy shot not far wide from the left of the area on 54 after latching on to Christophe Berra’s clearance with Town looking more dangerous in the opening minutes of the second period than they had in the closing stages of the first. Two minutes later, Hunt shot over from Murphy’s knockdown.

Blackpool boss Barry Ferguson switched strikers Davies and Keogh for Fuller and David Goodwillie in the 63rd minute, meaning there would be no appearance from ex-Blue Chopra, who earlier had been booed by Town fans as he warmed up.

Perkins was booked for a blatant trip on Murphy after the Irishman had got away from him 10 yards inside the Blackpool half. From Hunt’s quickly taken freekick, Murphy teed up Tabb, who scuffed weakly to Gilks.

On 70 McGoldrick and particularly the Sir Bobby Robson Stand felt Broadfoot had handled in the area as the striker tried to take the ball past him, but referee Mark Haywood waved away the protests.

On the touchline manager McCarthy made his feelings known to the fourth official before switching Green for Paul Anderson, who moved into his usual right midfield role with Tabb switching back to the centre.

Four minutes later, as the game moved into its final quarter of an hour with rain by now falling heavily and the pitch increasingly difficult, Ebanks-Blake was handed his league debut for the tiring Hunt, Murphy moving to left midfield.

MacKenzie headed wide for Blackpool from a freekick on the left but having strayed offside, then Dobbie’s 83rd minute shot deflected wide off Tommy Smith.

The Seasiders were looking the more likely scorers and in the 86th minute Loach again thwarted Haroun, this time blocking from the Belgian from close range. Two minutes later, Dobbie shot well over from distance.

In the final minute of scheduled time, Murphy brought the ball forward from deep but wasted the opportunity. As the game moved into three minutes of injury time the Irishman’s strike deflected wide.

The Blues finally added some urgency to their game in the final moments with a number of crosses flying into the box, McGoldrick scuffing well wide when found in space by Cresswell 14 yards out.

Town had to be content with their first 0-0 home draw since February 2010 and it would have been harsh on Blackpool to have taken nothing from the game.

Having started the first half well, the Blues’ performance deteriorated and they would have been behind but for two fine Loach saves from Haroun.

The returning Town keeper made another important stop from the Belgian in the second half with the Blues again under par.

Manager Mick McCarthy will be pleased with the clean sheet — the third on the trot at home - but disappointed with the overall performance and failure to take all three points against a Blackpool side now without a win in 15 matches.

Town: Loach, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Green (Anderson 71), Hyam (Tabb 12), Skuse, Hunt (Ebanks-Blake 75), McGoldrick, Murphy. Unused: Crowe, Mings, Richardson, Nouble.

Blackpool: Gilks, McMahon, Broadfoot, MacKenzie, Robinson (Halliday 12), Angel, Perkins, Haroun, Dobbie, Keogh (Goodwillie 63), Davies (Fuller 63). Unused: Cathcart, Basham, Grandin, Chopra. Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire). Att: 16,010 (Blackpool: 285).

Photo: Action Images

TractorCam added 17:14 - Feb 15 Useless, absolute garbage. No desire to score, so many short terrible passes which eventually get intercepted or out for a throw, i must of shouted to cross it in the box about 100 times. I can't see us getting play offs now, if you can't beat teams like Blackpool at home then you don't deserve it. Sure you can say 5 unbeaten and clean sheet, but it's Blackpool, them games are must wins and now we have Leicester away next week.

16

TractorCam added 17:14 - Feb 15 Useless, absolute garbage. No desire to score, so many short terrible passes which eventually get intercepted or out for a throw, i must of shouted to cross it in the box about 100 times. I can't see us getting play offs now, if you can't beat teams like Blackpool at home then you don't deserve it. Sure you can say 5 unbeaten and clean sheet, but it's Blackpool, them games are must wins and now we have Leicester away next week.

0

TractorCam added 17:14 - Feb 15 Useless, absolute garbage. No desire to score, so many short terrible passes which eventually get intercepted or out for a throw, i must of shouted to cross it in the box about 100 times. I can't see us getting play offs now, if you can't beat teams like Blackpool at home then you don't deserve it. Sure you can say 5 unbeaten and clean sheet, but it's Blackpool, them games are must wins and now we have Leicester away next week.

0

TractorCam added 17:15 - Feb 15 ^Why it posted that 3 times is beyond me, maybe Phil wants me to make my point across a bit more :)
5

TimmyH added 17:19 - Feb 15 Have to say this is a poor result! but not totally unexpected considering we've seen so many struggling performances against teams towards the bottom or out of confidence particularly at home (see my post before the game). Blackpool last got a point away from home back in November!!! Personally feel Mick has to take the rap for this starting yet again another defense oriented midfield with once again no sign of Taylor in sight which yielded yet another largely dull game without much quality. Only positive I can take is that Loach had quite a good game. I honestly have to say too many of these opportunities have come and gone against the 'poorer' teams and that's why we will not be in the play-offs come May.

13

BillBlue added 17:19 - Feb 15 Imagine you might be the only person to comment this week TractorCam!
1

bluemikey100 added 17:23 - Feb 15 worth goin just to see chopra gettin booed and no game lol not much else bye folks
2

Keaneish added 17:24 - Feb 15 What happened? Did we play today…? I saw a lot of Blue shirts but i wasn't sure what was going on...
9

taylor15 added 17:26 - Feb 15 Tabb is absolutely shocking, I'm sorry. Was a real shame hyam wasn't able to continue, as when he was on the pitch, we seemed like we actually wanted to go forward. it's definitely 2 points dropped, instead of a point gained. Nobody today, apart from the two centre backs, and Loach looked like they wanted to play today. Was a very scrappy game, and no excuses but the referee had a shocker. Green is not the answer, and that shows why we need a quality bit of a player in the middle of the park to play infront of skuse. Anyway, moving on, IN MICK WE TRUST!!

7

del45 added 17:27 - Feb 15 MM fault poor team selection no attact plan at home defend defend MM plan time and time again no chance of playoffs with this game plan where is Taylor.
14

mikeybloo88 added 17:29 - Feb 15 Being saying it for months...we have the most uninspiring midfield ...will never progress until we improve the midfield...Another season of mid table mediocrity I'm afraid
15

joolsitfc added 17:31 - Feb 15 McCarthy, would you buy a season ticket to watch this 5hite like we have to ??????! I very much doubt it....
19

del45 added 17:34 - Feb 15 Has Taylor and MM fell out can see him moving on we need him today.
3

northstand78 added 17:36 - Feb 15 joolitfc, I couldn't agree more. A team that hasn't won for god knows how long and we serve up that tosh. Uninspiring, unimaginative and bloody boring... Top 6..My arse
21

runaround added 17:36 - Feb 15 A poor game in poor conditions. After a good first 10 minutes we failed to master even controlling the ball & Blackpool adapted to the conditions much better than us. Loach saved us with a faultless display but I'm sure he will be dropped for next match. We failed to deliver a decent cross or create a decent chance after Hyam went off, Cresswell had pretty certainly his worst game in an ITFC shirt with a number of others such as Tabb, Hunt, Skuse not much better. This was a great chance to go 6th wasted & I fully expect us to fall away from top 6 now. My fear is McG may go in summer & Mick won't be able to strengthen leading to us being further a away from top 6 next year. Hope I'm wrong though

6

carlo88 added 17:39 - Feb 15 No wonder Sky never show us live, that sounded painful! Charlie Nicholas was laughing at us we were so bad.
10

muccletonjoe added 17:40 - Feb 15 To those who are staying away - you are probably right - there must be better things to do on a saturday afternoon. I don't care who comes on here and says we are doing so much better now than when jewell was in charge. This was totally diabolical with no redeeming factors whatsoever.
22

del45 added 17:40 - Feb 15 Just heard MM on suffolk good bye Taylor I think ??,
8

oddball added 17:41 - Feb 15 Another solid result, we are hard to beat and we progress game by game, well done boys keep going till end of season :-)
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joolsitfc added 17:43 - Feb 15 Hardest job in the world this summer ...... Working in the marketing dept of itfc trying to sell season tickets !!!! Isn't it entertainment we are supposed to be watching ?????
13

irishtim added 17:47 - Feb 15 Why keep on about Taylor? IMO has done nothing, seems to be disruptive. Thinking back to some photos here at xmas time with some kids who were ill he did not seem to want to be there. Back to the game poor display.
12

Jimmy86 added 17:49 - Feb 15 To say this game was poor is an understatement. Other than the first 15 mins we were 2nd best all afternoon. The referee was terrible, but that masks the fact we were poor. 2 stonewall pens when the ball hit broadfoot's elbow in the box and also when ebanks blake had his shirt pulled off his back, plus fouls against our players that weren't given. The ref really was terrible. Our creativity and service from midfield is really poor, but thats what you get with having grafters in midfield instead of creative, flair type players. Strikers wont score if not provided with decent enough service. My final point is regarding chopra, yes he took us all for a ride and turned out to be a real waster, the blackpool fans think the same, but when he signed for us we all thought he was the best thing since sliced bread!!! All the abuse we gave him wouldnt have affected him in the slightest, in fact it prob fired him up. And I wouldnt have been at all suprised if he'd scored if he had got on the pitch, good thing he didnt in my book. We got rid of him, we've moved on, he's moved on. Should be left at that!!! If we had put as much energy into cheering on our players we might have helped create a better atmosphere

4

MattinLondon added 17:53 - Feb 15 Mark this game as exhibit A and let the lawyers argue why thousands are staying away. Boring sterile players with lots of work ethic and heart but little imagination or creative thought. Maybe a bit harsh but there you go.
15

StochesStotasBlewe added 17:54 - Feb 15 Complete & utter dross. Aside from the first 10 minutes when we kept the ball on the deck, the following 85 minutes were painful in the extreme. Continually gave away possession, aimless hoofball & several games of head tennis. Tabb replaceing Hyam after 10 minutes set out MM,s plans for the rest of the afternoon, not to lose instead of going all out for the win. Blackpool haven,t won for bloody ages. P#ss poor all round guys.

19

oddball added 17:56 - Feb 15 If u dont like it dont go :-)
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