Blackpool 2 Walsall 2 - Report and pictures

In front of just 3,404 fans in Lancashire, the Saddlers took the lead against the run of play when Joe Edwards swept home a Kieron Morris cross.

The Tangerines levelled before the break with Nathan Delfouneso collecting a long ball forward before firing past Liam Roberts.

A Jon Guthrie strike put the Saddlers back into the lead before substitute Armand Gnanduillett again pulled the hosts level in the 88th minute.

Blackpool though will feel unfortunate not to have won the game with Gary Bowyer’s side seeing three efforts cleared off the line, including one in stoppage time.

Analysis

In naming his starting line-up, boss Whitney made one surprise change from that team that secured victory over MK Dons.

Having netted the winner in that crunch clash, Belgian striker Julien Ngoy came in for his first Saddlers start.

But it was Erhun Oztumer who was the man to make way with the Saddlers top scorer forced to make do with a place on the subs bench.

It meant Whitney’s side lined up in a 4-5-1 formation with Ngoy operating on the left and Ama Bakayoko up front. Blackpool also lined up in a 4-5-1 system with Kyle Vassell the lone striker.

The Tangerines entered the game having failed to win any of their last eight league matches at Bloomfield Road.

Yet it was the hosts who started on the front foot and after an early spell of pressure they came a whisker away from breaking the deadlock.

A Sean Longstaff corner was met in the air by Curtis Tilt who steered a header towards goal. But fortunately for Walsall, Jon Guthrie was in the right place to clear the ball off the line.

Overall, in a ground that was only a quarter full, the match felt flat with both teams struggling to create clear cut chances as the clock ticked towards the half hour mark.

But that all changed when the Saddlers took the lead against the run of play with Kieron Morris doing brilliantly to intercept a pass and then dart to the byline.

The winger looked up and sent in a pin-point low cross which the onrushing Edwards emphatically swept home from 10-yards.

Moments later, Whitney’s men almost doubled their advantage with Guthrie turning a corner towards goal only for Tilt to hack his effort clear.

Blackpool responded with a low cross falling for Callum Cooke in the box. But from 12-yards the midfielder blazed a strike over when he should have done better.

The chance though only served to be a warning with the Tangerines deservingly pulling level in the 37th minute.

A long ball forward wasn’t dealt with by the Walsall defence with Delfounseo having enough time to take it down in the box.

And he then cut inside Luke Leahy before emphatically firing past Liam Roberts from 12-yards.

It meant the two teams made their way off at the break all-square in an opening 45 minute lacking in quality.

Both sides continued to have a lack of cutting edge in the early stages of the second half.

But it was Blackpool who continued to be the more adventurous. And they almost took the lead just before the hour when Tilt saw a header seemingly blocked by the hand of Jack Fitzwater.

Despite the home crowd appealing for a penalty, referee Scott Duncan waved play on with the ball falling kindly for Longstaff who flashed a strike wide when he should have scored.

With the home side on top, Whitney made his first change in the 68th minute with Oztumer replacing Ngoy. Former Saddler Dan Agyei then replaced Vassell.

And the striker almost made an instant impact with the Burnley loanee darting at goal before seeing a long distance strike tipped away by a diving Roberts.

Incredibly though, it was Walsall who re-took the lead, thanks in no small part to some woeful defending from the home side.

A low George Dobson corner really should have been hacked clear by Blackpool’s first man. But the delivery evaded everyone with Guthrie then on hand to fire in from close range.

Bowyer’s men responded and they thought they had pulled level in the 82nd minute when substitute Armand Gnanduillet saw a looped header cleared off the line by a stretching Fitzwater.

As the final whistle approached though, the Tangerines did pull level with Agyei playing a key part.

The former Walsall man played in Gnanduillet with a through-ball and he then calmly lifted the ball over Roberts and into the bottom corner.

Having deservedly pulled for themselves level, the momentum was with Blackpool as they then pushed forward a winner in stoppage time.

And it almost arrived after they forced a free-kick wide on the right. Longstaff’s delivery was met by Clark Robertson but his header was again cleared off the line by man if the match Guthrie.

Key Moments

2 Nathan Delfouneso whips in a dangerous cross but there is nobody on hand to nod it home.

6 George Dobson curls a right-footed shot wide from 20-yards.

8 Off the line. Curtis Tilt rises highest to meet a corner. But his header is cleared off the line by Jon Guthrie.

13 Delfouneso flicks the ball into the path off Kyle Vassell. He then hits a volley from just inside the box that sails over.

20 Sean Longstaff's ambitious 30-yard strike flies just past the post.

28 Goal Walsall. Kieron Morris does well to win possession before sending in a low cross whuch Joe Edwards sweeps home from 10-yards.

33 Delfouneso's low cross breaks for Callum Cooke, who blazes over.

37 A long ball finds Delfouneso in the box. He then cuts inside Luke Leahy before emphatically firing past Liam Roberts.

43 Morris flashes a strike just wide from the corner of the box.

52 Longstaff fires narrowly wide from 25-yards.

57 From a corner, Tilt sees a header seemingly blocked by the hands of Jack Fitzwater. The ball then falls for Longstaff who flashes a strike wide when he should score.

64 Ama Bakayoko's low cross to Edwards is bundled behind for a corner.

72 Dan Agyei's powerful drive is parried by Roberts.

76 Goal Walsall. Guthrie fires in from close range following George Dobson’s corner.

78 Longstaff's firm free-kick is parried by Roberts.

82 Gnanduillet's looping header is cleared off the line by Fitzwater.

88 Goal Blackpool. Agyei plays in Gnanduillet who finishes past Roberts.

95 From Spearing's free-kick, Clark Robertson’s effort is somehow cleared off the line by Guthrie.

Teams

Blackpool: Lumley, Mellor, Robertson, Tilt, Turton, Solomon-Otabor, Cooke (Gnanduillet 80), Spearing, Longstaff, Delfounseo, Vassell (Agyei 71).

Subs: Mafounmbi, Aimson, D’Almeida, Ryan, Philliskirk.

Walsall: Roberts, Leahy, Guthrie, Fitzwater, Kinsella, Edwards, Chambers, Dobson, Morris (Roberts 90), Bakayoko (Shaibu 75), Ngoy (Oztumer 68).

Subs not used: Gillespie, Flanagan, Cuvelier, Kouhyar.