Town’s post-international break blues continued after they were held to a 2-2 home draw by Blackpool. The Blues, who have now not won a league game after an international break for 22 matches stretching back to September 2014, went in front on eight via Gwion Edwards but the Tangerines levelled through Joe Nuttall on 22. Blackpool took the lead from a disputed penalty converted by Jay Spearing eight minutes after the restart but Luke Garbutt equalised for Town, also from the spot, on 58.

The Blues were without right-back Kane Vincent-Young, who was touch and go for the game following his recent groin operation, and striker James Norwood, who has also picked up a knock.

Will Norris returned in goal with Janoi Donacien making his first League One appearance since August at right-back. Luke Garbutt was at left-back with skipper Luke Chambers and Luke Woolfenden the centre-halves.

In midfield, Cole Skuse was joined by Flynn Downes and Jon Nolan, while Gwion Edwards and Danny Rowe were either side of lone central striker Kayden Jackson.

For Blackpool, who went into the game fifth in the table, Joe Nuttall replaced 12-goal top scorer Armand Gnanduillet, who was injured. Ex-Blues loanee Liam Feeney started and Town’s summer-of-2018 target Curtis Tilt was on the bench.

The Blues started brightly and went close in the third minute when Rowe, playing on the left of the front three, picked up a loose ball midway inside the Tangerines’ half and brought it into the box, cut on to his right foot but scuffed his shot wide.

Within a minute, Blackpool won a freekick five yards outside the Town area to the left. Sullay Kaikai hit a well-struck shot which Norris did well to save down to his right and push away from danger.

On six, Jackson played in on the right of the area and cut a cross towards Nolan but a defender’s toe took it away from the midfielder.

But Blues fans only had two more minutes to wait for a goal. Donacien sent over a deep, looping cross from the right and Garbutt headed it down to Jackson with his back to goal. The ball was stabbed away from the striker but straight to Edwards, who gleefully smashed his second goal of the season from a matter of feet.

However, Town’s lead lasted only 14 minutes with Blackpool having seen an increasing share of the ball.

Following a Blues corner and after Skuse, Downes and a Blackpool player had collided midway inside the visitors’ half - and with the Bristolian down having clearly been caught on the head by a boot - Blackpool broke quickly.

Calum MacDonald got round the outside of Chambers and sent over a cross, Nuttall’s header was blocked but the loose ball fell kindly for him and he smashed into the net to level.

On the touchline, Blues boss Paul Lambert and the Tangerines’ staff clashed, presumably due to Town annoyance that the referee hadn’t stopped the game due to the head injury. Skuse subsequently received treatment on the pitch before being able to continue.

The Blues began to see more of the ball and on 33, Edwards was teed-up inside the area but his shot was blocked. Skuse sprayed the ball back out to Jackson on the right but his effort from a tight angle flew high and wide.

Blackpool went closer a minute later when Feeney broke down the right. The former Town loanee’s first cross was superbly blocked by Chambers but he played the loose ball back in to Kaikai, who hit a powerfully-struck effort which Norris did well to bat away from goal and out for a corner.

Neither side seriously threatened again before the half-time whistle. After making a positive start and scoring the early goal, the Blues had never really controlled game and been unable to maintain that impetus.

Blackpool had started to get on top prior to their goal - even if Town might have had a legitimate claim that the referee should have stopped play - and had been a threat when breaking on either flank and had looked more likely to grab the game’s third goal.

As has often been the case this season, and as they have successfully managed to do on a number of occasions, the Blues needed to up their game in the second half.

Two minutes after the restart, Donacien tricked his way past his man on the right and sent over a deep cross which Edwards, by now on the right flank, headed against the back of a defender at the far post. The Welshman claimed it had struck a hand but referee Stephen Martin wasn’t interested.

On 49, a clever freekick from the Blues midway inside the Blackpool half saw Garbutt turn a cross to the far post but Woolfenden was just unable to direct his header back across goal and the ball went out.

Town had made a strong start to the second half but in the 52nd minute the visitors were awarded a penalty as they made their first attack since the break.

Kaikai took the ball beyond Chambers on the right of the area and, with the ball appearing on its way out of play, took a tumble. Much to the anger of the Blues players and support, referee Martin pointed to the spot on the advice of his assistant.

Keeper Norris ran over to the assistant to remonstrate but to no avail and subsequently Jay Spearing beat the on-loan Wolves man to his right from the spot, although only just, as boos rang around Portman Road.

Five minutes after the Blackpool penalty, the Blues were awarded one of their own. Following a Garbutt corner corner, a Tangerines player handled as Chambers challenged for the ball and referee Martin this time made his own decision.

Garbutt was handed the ball in regular taker Norwood’s absence, and with Jackson having missed at Fleetwood, and hit a low strike to visitors’ keeper Jak Alnwick’s right and into the corner of the net.

Both sides made changes as the game reached the 65-minute mark. The Lancastrians switched Matty Virtue for Oliver Turton and MacDonald for Callum Guy, both substitutions made in a very leisurely manner, and Town swapped Rowe for Anthony Georgiou.

Having got back on terms, Town and the home crowd were very much on the up. On 67 Woolfenden saw an effort blocked at the far post in the aftermath of a corner, by a hand according to the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, then moments later, the centre-half’s header was turned on towards goal by Jackson from the edge of the six-yard box but Spearing cleared off the line, although with the fans behind the goal feeling it had gone over.

Ryan Edwards was booked for a foul on Nolan as Town counter-attacked on 69 with the Blues in control of the game and passing the ball with far greater fluidity than in the first half.

On 73, Woolfenden, impressive at both ends of the field, cut in from the right and sent over a low ball which Jackson flicked to Alnwick at the near post.

Blackpool twice threatened from corners as the match moved towards its final 15 minutes, Norris claiming headers Ryan Edwards. But the Blues soon began to press again at the other end.

In the 84th minute, the visitors withdrew Kaikai for Jordan Thompson, then a minute later Town made a double change, Edwards and Downes making way for Alan Judge and Will Keane.

In the final minute of scheduled time, Spearing was book for a foul on Jackson as the striker burst towards the box. Blackpool repelled Garbutt’s ball into the area, then Judge’s subsequent cross.

But with the fourth official’s board indicating four additional minutes, the Blues kept up the pressure.

Sub Judge almost netted his second goal in four days when he flicked Nolan’s cross towards the corner of the net, but Alnwick did brilliantly to get across to his left to turn it past the post.

But despite the late pressure, the Blues were unable to find a winner and once again they had been unable to win their first league game after an international break.

Town were much better in the second half, although suffered the setback of the penalty which looked very much a spotkick won rather than conceded.

The Blues showed character to respond and win the penalty of their own and thereafter pressed for a third goal and were unlucky to have had Jackson’s effort cleared off the line.

The draw and Wycombe’s 1-0 last-gasp home win over Doncaster sees the Blues stay second but now five points behind the Chairboys, who are at Portman Road on Tuesday for a top-versus-second clash, the Buckinghamshire side’s first ever visit to Town.

Town: Norris, Donacien, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, Garbutt, Edwards (Judge 84), Skuse, Downes (Keane 84), Rowe (Georgiou 65), Nolan, Jackson. Unused: Holy, Dozzell, Huws, Wilson.

Blackpool: Alnwick, Edwards, Heneghan, Delfouneso, Spearing (c), Kaikai (thompson 84), Feeney, Virtue (Guy 65), Nuttall, Husband, MacDonald (Turton 65). Unused: Sims, Hardie, Scannell, Tilt. Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire). Att: 19,503 (Blackpool: 498).

Photo: TWTD

OldClactonBlue added 19:53 - Nov 23 We were much better in the second half, we kept the ball and stopped resorting to hopeful pumps forward. Woolfenden was excellent and should be the first name on the teamsheet but some people flatter to deceive and I do believe we need some more help in the final third if Sears isn't going to be back anytime soon. And why isn't there goal line technology in this division. I think we've been denied two goals now this season, but I would like to know for sure. There also looked to be another handball in the second half but the referee wasn't well placed to see it. And from my position their penalty wasn't a foul. So all in all I actually thought we deserved to win. Still it could have been worse. Onwards and upwards.

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TimmyH added 19:57 - Nov 23 Shades of last season from Chambers after just watching the goals, their first goal the Blackpool player just jogged passed him effortlessly to get their cross in and equalise.
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ITFCsince73 added 20:05 - Nov 23 Happened right in front of me TimmyH. Less said the better. When the goal went in there was a lot of finger pointing from captain fantastic. Maybe someone else was to blame??
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ITFCsince73 added 20:11 - Nov 23 Skuse was down with a head injury at the time of goal scored. So I think that was the blame. And took away Chambos non existent defending.
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Terry_Nutkins added 20:12 - Nov 23 Some laughable comments on here. Same old negative nonsense from entitled fans who sit in their keyboards expecting us to roll over every team. You can clearly see the the more objective and positive comments from at the game. We win on Tuesday and it's a really positive few days.
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alfromcol added 20:35 - Nov 23 Disappointing result, but an entertaining goal. Some of our passing cut right through Blackpool and only poor finishing/bad luck kept them in the game. The team Lambert is building will bring us the rewards we have waited for for so long. Officials pxxx poor again. Never a penalty, ok Chambers hung his leg out but there was no contact and by the time the player landed from his dive, the ball was out of play. One thing that really erks me, is why Lambert brings everyone back in the box when we are defending a corner - there is no out-ball, it allowed Blackpool's centre-halves to advance up the field within 25 yards of the edge of our penalty area. Am I missing something - what is behind the tactic of bringing all the team back into the penalty area when defending a corner??

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TimmyH added 20:40 - Nov 23 Any reason you've down voted me @alfromocol?...you look at Chambers on the highlight reel and why is he even putting in a tackle (for their penalty) in that position? never mind what I mentioned above. or are you going to say we have to be positive in these times which a few on here seem drill out from time to time.
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DerryfromBury added 20:41 - Nov 23 Why does PL stick with a tried, tested and failed system of 1 up front, especially at home. Jackson never won a single ball in the air, not suppressing with their defenders towering above him, so why do his team mates continually send high balls up to him. Surely so called professional players can see that tactic wasn't working and change the style of play, play it along the ground into his feet for gods sake. As for leaving it with less than 10mins of the game left before making the changes, what was that all about.

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alfromcol added 20:58 - Nov 23 TimmyH I down voted you because I didn't agree with you. It is not that I dislike you or anything, I just disagreed with what you said. The penallty happened just below us - there was no contact. The linesman was 2o yards away, but some refs prefer linesman to only take decisions on throwin. Yet another case of poor referreeing. He blew straight away. if he had given himself a couple of seconds of reflection he may have waved it away? We have every reason to be positive. In the automatic places, with games in hand AND not playing particularly well. Is there not reason to be positive? Even you may have tinges of positivity?

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happybeingblue added 21:07 - Nov 23 Disappointing but tbh i do now think we are fortunate to be near the top or maybe it is because this league is not very good.lets be honest we aint all that... blackpool had plenty of the game for an away side so dont agree with lambert that we dominated. His spin is starting to annoy me a bit,nice fella but...
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Michael101 added 21:19 - Nov 23 Re,3rd goal of no goal.refs in the prem have a sleeper on there wrist if the ball crosses the line. So why don't all efl refs have it.
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heathen66 added 21:23 - Nov 23 I think there is still a lot to be positive about. Entertaining football, good crowds, just off the top with games in hand. However there are areas where we need to improve. I don't think anyone is being too critical, they just get frustrated. People are just offering an opinion on what they see and an idea of what could put it right. Supporters like football played different ways and therefore differ in their opinion...simple, and twtd is just a vehicle to express these opinions.

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EssexTractor added 21:25 - Nov 23 Happybeingblue..yes the spin is becoming tedious...we may not have played his matches or been managers but I do wish Mr Lambert showed a little more appreciation for fans who have watched hundreds and hundreds of games and do have a knowledge of the good , the bad and the ugly...and can actually see the wood from the trees ...he is s fantastic PR guy and immense congratulation for that , but now thatthecteam are one third into the season, the opposition are getting closer, and doubts of team selection being voiced now..I want him to not be just the PR guy but now to create a really good team ..in a division which in fairness is not fantastic ....

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ESSEX75 added 21:44 - Nov 23 We do everything so slowly.
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herfie added 22:02 - Nov 23 Go back to Pl's pre-match comments, to the effect that we're very much work in progress. Much more to do and, hopefully, to come. Today was both entertaining and frustrating, with a more consistent 90 min performance. But home draws are not good enough; and against sides intent on defending deep we lack that bit of quality and creativity to break them down. Better today than in other matches, but we need to improve on some basics: better/faster passing when going forward, cut out conceding needless free kicks, be stronger in 50/50 situations, play 2 up front! We're a good team, though, at this level - and it's a marathon not a sprint. Hopefully we'll get stronger as each match goes by. .

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Suffolkboy added 23:06 - Nov 23 Unfortunately not able to be there ,but once again a look at the stats reveals how wasteful we are when shooting at goal ! Ratio wise we appear consistently less accurate than many opposition sides ,and those observing and writing comment accordingly ! Chances are being created but the end result just doesn't materialise .Where oh where is the killer instinct ? So many comment on the lone striker policy and there's no doubt KJ is not a devastating all rounder ,but equally PL is nobody's fool . For many years we've lacked any regular and meaningful goal threat from mid field ( or elsewhere ) and with Norwood and our new full back missing it falls to others to really step up ! It's a long season , we've players to come back but let's hope some of these rather obvious shortcomings are remedied. COYB

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RobITFC added 01:05 - Nov 24 We are 3 points clear of 3rd place with 2 games in hand so shut up you moaners!!
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budgieplucker added 01:07 - Nov 24 Trying to give a balanced view, any team managed by Simon Grayson is going to put up a good fight and be difficult to beat. On balance of play I do think we shaded it and that Blackpool will be pleased with a point, the reality is we didn't again have the quality, strength or power to brush aside the opponents. On the lunchtime radio “life's a pitch”, there was a suggestion that were the Liverpool or Manchester City of the third tier, maybe that was tongue in cheek but at this level we just don't have the aggressive dominance to force the game home like those two clubs do in their league. We have only got 2 more points at home than Bolton, granted we have played less than most teams at home but just in home performance we would be much further down the table. On the positive side we were not sluggish and showed no rust from 17 day layoff for several of the players. I don't think anyone put in a bad performance, perhaps Kayden Jackson could be classed as ineffective today but that was more about him being asked to play a position that he is not suited for rather than his endeavour. Really please for Janoi Donacien who like others I thought he had a very good game and very encouraging as a back up at full back, when playing for Accrington I understand he often played on the left side of defence and full back so that may be a real positive. Downes as normal put in a tremendous shift until he tired later in the game. I though also thought Nolan had an excellent game and probably shaded man of the match over Woolfy for me. But Luke Garbutt wasn't far off this accolade either, his classy left foot just like that of Aaron Cresswell adds a completely different dimension to our game and I would try and secure him permanently in January. I think the two wingers had both very good and frustrating patches in their play but that's very much the nature of that position. Yes we probably have overall the biggest squad and lots of good talent, but with danger of having my comments here categorised as “sh**e”. I can't help thinking this may actually be working against us. PL pretty much knows his best 12-15 players and a small amount of rotation may not be a bad thing. I have no truck with playing a completely different team in EFL Trophy but our lack of consistency can only be put down to not having a settled side. Despite our talented squad we are still missing pieces in the jigsaw puzzle, just what a Player like Nuttall of Blackpool would add to our squad - we are crying out for more physicality in our side to help steam roll over the opposition. Why o why can we not unearth or find/attract talent like this up front. Every team that has rocked up at Portman Road this year has looked like a team of giants in comparison to us. Rotherham had strength when they were here, Crooks was a constant menace and they knew just what to do to bully us out of the result. I like an awful lot what PL has done and can see the work in progress developing, but realistically I can't help thinking we may just struggle to hold on to a top two place. Yes we are a top side but we are not dominating this league and perhaps we shouldn't expect to, but in my opinion we are despite our large squad a couple of key players short of guaranteeing us a top two finish and in many respects we could release some players to make this happen. Garbutt and KVY are two key signings for us and I think we are capable of playing a 3-4-3 system which can flexibly morph into other formations with these two players operating as wing backs. This system can be supported by 15/16 players who in my opinion should be very much acknowledged as having the responsibility to form a regular and consistent line up and formation (injuries permitted) So I can easily put this game behind us and pragmatically accept a hard earned point, but our home form has to dramatically improve and overall we have to “up our ability” not necessarily to dominate games away from home but show we have more control of games and comfortably see games out or easily move up a gear when needing to. These features are very much missing for me. Good so far but room for further improvement if we are not to be disappointed at the end of the season.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 04:56 - Nov 24 Anyone would think modern football is played on ice. That dive looked worthy of a swimming pool to me (on iFollow). You see this all the time in the PL, and it's obviously no better in the lower leagues. It makes me angry that refs don't punish this behaviour more. We should change the mindset that any ”contact” allows you to roll around on the grass as if you've been shot. Football is (was) a contact sport for C****'s sake. I think a player who obviously overacts even if there has been minor contact should be punished, not rewarded. And as for yesterday's Royal Command Performance, I'm not sure there was any contact at all. Even if there was, the Blackpool player should at least have got a yellow. Personally, I thought it was so good it deserved a red.

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warktheline added 06:33 - Nov 24 Continue to struggle accumulating points against teams in top half of league in stark comparison to teams beyond mid table! No Norwood results In tried, tested and failed, formation via Lambert! Remarked prior to a ball being kicked in August, that we wouldn't make automatic promotion, and haven't any reason to revalue that assessment, now would add, presently with threadbare squad, obtaining Championship status via play offs are would be extremely difficult! Again the club looks precarious, again all eyes will soon be firmly focused upon Evans!

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chalky added 08:13 - Nov 24 I agree with the majority here. Three observations. 1. For God's sake play more than one up front, especially at home. Lone strikers give the opposition encouragement. 2. Buy a striker who can stay fit for more than a week. 3. Find a team selection that IS capable of exerting pressure throughout the game. At present we look far too brittle for automatic promotion.
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Saxonblue74 added 08:31 - Nov 24 Take a look at the home column in the league table. It's obvious for all to see that teams are coming to PR to shut us down and leave with a point, or maybe all three if they get lucky. So, what do we do to counter this? Play a lone striker!!!!! Genius!
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Cakeman added 08:32 - Nov 24 I nearly posted comments yesterday but glad I didn't as I was quite wound up. A mixture of annoyance and disappointment. In the light of a new day I am still disappointed with what happened and certainly with the result. Blackpool should have been taken apart particularly after a very promising first fifteen minutes. We were passing, receiving and laying the ball off quickly and with good purpose. Blackpool with two Sunday league cart horses at the centre of their defence had no answer. Then out of the Blue we gave them a very early Christmas present which changed the game. That has been our problem all season. Not being able to put the game to bed at home matches. This needs to be addressed in January with a couple of new additions. Without doubt we need another striker. Playing one up front at home is ridiculous. I would have rather played James Wilson or similar alongside Jackson That may just have worked. Many years ago Sheffield Wednesday did similar to great effect with a defender named Paul Warhurst. I sense most teams will now play against us at home as Blackpool did. Take an early battering and then regroup. That is why we must really press home our advantage when we have one. Playing two up front is a must and no one will ever convince me differently!

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runaround added 10:09 - Nov 24 Quite an entertaining game which we should have won & would have won if the ref or assistant had seen the ball was over the line! Downes was excellent but I think we definitely missed Norwood up top. Hopefully he will be fit for Tuesday as ideally we need to be beating Wycombe
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:56 - Nov 24 We havnt got a striker that can be a loner, we keep playing one up front, !. We havnt even got a striker to be feared ,!. Norwood has not been setting the world on fire and has fitness issues, Jackson has heart but is no good on his own .Opp teams only have to keep the front man quiet and we are stuffed. We have a couple of players who can and have scored goals but their tally should be supplementing our strikers goals. Without a quality striker being brought in during next window, [and a change in one up front tactic] we will see our position in league eroded in second half of season and we will end up playoffs at best imo .Some people put too much faith in games in handthey need to be won ., When the wheels start coming off i hope PL dosnt use fixtures pile up as an excuse , we should have played games when were doing well.

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