Town were once again left ruing missed chances after a Jason Euell goal gave Blackpool a 1-0 victory at Bloomfield Road. A mistake from Gareth McAuley allowed Euell to net the winner in the second half, but the Blues had more than enough opportunities to get back on terms and go ahead later in the half.
Boss Roy Keane made one chance to the side which drew 0-0 with Bristol City, Jaime Peters coming in for David Healy. Peters started at left midfield with Jon Walters moving up front.
Walters and strike partner Daryl Murphy both came agonisingly close to getting a toe on Carlos Edwards’s deflected cross from the right in the fourth minute. Blackpool’s first chance came two minutes later but Stephen Dobbie’s dangerous low ball across the box failed to find a fellow Tangerine.
The home side might have gone in front after coming close from two corners in quick succession, Keith Southern first heading over, then Rob Edwards nodding wide.
Walters shot over from 25 yards as the game continued to be a scrappy affair played on another substandard and very heavy pitch.
On 14 Liam Rosenior made a superb saving challenge on Dobbie with the Blackpool player through on goal, although probably offside.
Two minutes later, the Tangerines broke quickly from a Town corner after an error by Peters, but Dobbie shot well over when he should have done much better.
Daryl Murphy sent an effort over the bar in the 27th minute after Walters’s original strike had been blocked. The loanee from Sunderland will have been disappointed not to have hit the target.
Just before the half hour, Brian Murphy pushed Charlie Adam’s low 25-yard shot wide low down to his right.
On 39 Peters, who had by now swapped roles with Walters, made a strong run to the edge of the box and keeper Matthew Gilks did well to save.
Carlos Edwards shot over in the 44th minute, then as the game moved into first half injury time, the Trinidadian sent in a cross which was cleared to Murphy, whose strike was saved with Walters unable to get on to the rebound.
Just before the whistle, Liam Rosenior was somewhat harshly booked for a foul on Adam.
Blackpool will have felt that they had had the better chances in a scruffy and not overly entertaining first half played on a pitch which made passing football difficult. The two early corners were probably the best opportunities for the Seasiders with the Blues creating their only real chances later in the half.
Town’s players came out early after their break for their now customary pre-second half warm-up session.
The Blues started the new period strongly but the first chance of the half fell to the home side, DJ Campbell forcing Brian Murphy into a sharp save to his right with a left-foot shot.
A minute later, Blackpool went in front. Gareth McAuley failed to head away a long throw from the left and the ball fell to Jason Euell, who had no trouble in beating Brian Murphy from eight yards out.
Town went looking for the equaliser, Daryl Murphy seeing a shot deflect wide, then from the corner Walters headed wide, although the ball appeared to come off a defender, despite replacement ref Rob Shoebridge awarding a goalkick.
Murphy had a great chance to get the Blues back on terms in the 58th minute when a loose ball fell to him on the edge of the box, but his strike flew well over the bar.
Joe Martin picked up Blackpool’s first yellow card of the game in the 62nd minute for a foul on Walters, then Grant Leadbitter joined him in the book for a foul to pick up his 10th booking of the season which will see him suspended for Town’s next two matches.
David Norris’s 64th minute shot deflected to Gilks, before Roy Keane switched Daryl Murphy and Carlos Edwards for David Healy and Connor Wickham, the sub duo taking over up front with Peters moving to left-back, Colback to left midfield and Walters to the right.
Wickham was quickly into the action, creating an opportunity for Colback on the edge of the box but the loan player from Sunderland screwed his shot wide.
Town continued to push for the equaliser, the again impressive Wickham seeing a shot deflect through to Gilks. A rare chance at the other end saw Adam hit a freekick into the Town wall.
Pablo Couñago replaced David Norris with 15 minutes remaining, the Spaniard going to a role behind Healy and Wickham. A minute later, former Blue Billy Clarke came on for Blackpool.
Gilks did well to scramble across his goal to push the ball around the post in the 78th minute after Walters’s cross from deep on the right took a deflection and almost ended up in the corner of the net.
A minute later, Damien Delaney missed another good chance to get the Blues on terms, the defender hooking a loose ball over the bar after a corner when he should at least have hit the target.
David Healy failed to take an even better opportunity on 80 when a Wickham long throw was half-cleared to the Northern Irishman, who sent his volley over with the goal at his mercy.
Billy Clarke hit a low shot through to Murphy, then looped an overhead kick onto the roof of the net as he looked for a goal against his old club.
On 90, Jaime Peters crossed from the left, Gilks pawed Walters’s header from under the bar and Wickham and Healy had rebounds blocked.
As the game moved into injury time, Euell picked up a yellow card for a foul on Peters, then Wickham headed Leadbitter’s freekick wide. Moments before the final whistle, Couñago sent Town’s final effort of the game over.
It was the old story for the Blues in the second half, plenty of chances created, none taken, with a number of players at fault, while not enough was made of a succession of corners with keeper Gilks easily claiming too many.
The Blackpool goal was conceded from an individual error like so many earlier in the season, although aside from that mistake McAuley did everything else required of him.
A defeat which takes Town back to 18th only a point away from 22nd, with victories from this week’s home games against Cardiff and Scunthorpe very much required if the Blues are going to avoid being sucked back into the bottom three.
Town: B Murphy, Rosenior, Colback, Delaney, McAuley, Leadbitter, Norris (Couñago 75), Edwards (Healy 65), Peters, Walters, D Murphy (Wickham 65). Unused: Lee-Barrett, Balkestein, Garvan, D Wright. Att: 8,634.