Blackpool 1 Charlton Athletic 1

A very valuable point but for 70 minutes it looked very unlikely.

How we were not 0-3 down at half-time is a mystery but we deserved a little luck and we got even luckier with our goal and were much better after we equalized.

For once we also rode out injury time without panic and spent a fair part of it on the offensive. The magnificent away support clapped the team at the end which was returned.

There were still plenty of hands-over-the-eyes moments throughout the game, but they battled well and it’s a good point against the team with the best home form in the division.

Curtis Fleming went very defensive with REG adding to the midfield shield of Dobbo and Bakinson in front of a back five. In that 1st half we rarely managed to get out and were pretty awful on the transition but one decent break saw Alfie have a shot saved.

All the action was down the other end though. There were plenty of hairy moments none more so than when Gillesphey cleared off the line, Ness hit his own post and Jordan Rhodes inexplicably missed an open goal after a mistake by AMB.

How it was 0-0 at the break I don’t know and in all honesty other than some luck the performance mirrored many others from recent months. Still, it was the first half-time we had reached without conceding for 11 games!

That clean sheet didn’t last long and Blackpool hit the bar before they finally took the lead and it was another defensive blooper. Lloyd Jones was left out by Fleming but replaced injury concern Gillesphey at the break. He then forgot he was a lower League One player and tried dribbling out of defence only to give the ball away which was punished by Dembele. You couldn’t say it wasn’t coming.

At that point the game looked done and dusted. The home fans were noisy and any ball up to May and Ladapo, who looks like he hasn’t kicked a ball for two years, were hopeless and pointless.

Then out of nothing May controlled a diagonal pass and his shot on the turn was deflected twice and ended up in the net. We were somehow level.

That goal stumped Blackpool and we grew in confidence. Kanu had been introduced which saw a reshuffle up top and although still inexperienced, and he did fluff a good chance, he does get stuck in, which creates second ball opportunities.

Any chances fell to the Addicks towards the end of the game but the score stayed and it was our first point in four matches.

I liked the players commitment today. There are still plenty of things wrong with the team and the set-up, but they did wear their heart’s on the sleeve which was good to see.

MoM: Alfie May worked his socks off. The lad is an absolute joy to support.

Elsewhere: Below us Reading drew at home to Leyton Orient, Cheltenham lost at Derby after being ahead, Port Vale lost late at home to Pompey and Wycombe came from 0-2 to draw at home to Fleetwood. Shrewsbury won at Northampton and Exeter won at Barnsley which pushes us to 18th.