Blackpool 2 Charlton Athletic 2
I am still bitterly disappointed about that. Just a couple of months ago I was sitting through games nonplussed, today I found myself fully invested. I presume that is a good thing, but that was two points thrown away.
Blackpool probably deserved their drew on the balance of chances, and in the cold light of day it was a good point, but a few hours later and I’m still in a state of annoyance.
Two goals ahead, and the game looked to have been killed off. Even after Blackpool pulled a goal back, we managed to take the sting out of the game, and seemingly any comeback. In fact we almost scored a third before Gillesphey suddenly thought he was Virgil van Dijk.
Up until then I had planned on giving Gillesphey my man of the match, but he does have that kind of fatal error in him. Why he just didn’t hoof it into the air only he will know.
The first half was short of chances, and I thought for half hour the Addicks had good control of the match without creating any real scoring opportunities of note. The Seasiders did finish the half the stronger.
The start of the second half was all about us though as the good number of travelling Addicks watched us go 2-0 up within ten minutes of the restart.
Godden’s goal was an identikit of the one he scored in the week which all began with a burst of power and pace down the right by Small.
Our second goal came from a burst of pace down the left by TC. His cross might have been put in by Godden, but their defender got there first and it will go down as an O.G.
I did think that Jones changed it too soon. Godden was excellent and TC mirrored Small’s threat on the other wing and it meant we used the width well to pull around Blackpool’s defence.
Aneke didn’t show Godden’s composure and Kanu tried, but did not offer the direct threat down the wing of TC.
Blackpool’s first goal could probably be dissected back to poor defending but Silvera finished well to dirty any hopes of a clean sheet, yet there was no mistaking the cock-up that led to their equalizer.
In the final minutes Blackpool could have been awarded a penalty from a handball from Ramsey, who did really well to make a dying tackle, and at the other end propelled by Small we had a couple of chances to get a winner
🎙️“We still went for the third, could have had the third. Thierry [Small] was magnificent today and got in and just a little bit more composure and we would have won that game. But the second goal is a big, big error and it’s not like Macca. Macca has been outstanding, but you can’t do that.” – Nathan Jones
⭐️ Conor Coventry
🏟️ 9,462 (866 Addicks)
📸 Kyle Andrews
Unfortunately, whilst Gillesphey has played better in the last few games, he always has those errors in his locker which have cost us goals, or nearly cost us. As you previously said CA, he is not really good enough to be a first team regular, more of a squad player when needed.
All in all it was an entertaining game and on reflection with Blackpool having some good chances in the first half, we didn’t really have any, overall a draw was a fair result, though very disappointing not to win being two nil up which could have been three, if Gillesphey had also not miskicked a simple knock back from near the post for two Charlton players, can’t remember who they were, for one just to tap in!
Apart from that, one player who does need to be dropped is Docherty! How he stayed on the pitch I can’t understand. He goes missing for long periods, with Coventry doing all the work, plus everytime he went in for a tackle he either gave a foul away or lost it away straight. The first goal actaully started with his error of losing the ball straight away after he tried to tackle the player and then not chasing the player back as he just glided past him as though he wasn’t there. I kept a close eye on him throughout the game and apart from his going missing, he also can’t keep up with any opposing player when they take him on and go past him as though hes not there, as he is just too slow!
If we are going to really finish stongly this season, we definately need a much better midfielder to keep up with the game and help Coventry out, who always seems to do the Lion’s share!
As I think someone else mentioned on one of your posts, Jones has made a big error letting Terry Taylor go, without adequate replacement. Which seems to show, as Northhampton have much improved since he has joined them on loan and has played every game!
TBF CA had the big round trip and on reflection am not as disappointed.
Thought we were a touch fortunate to be 2 up and sure, you go on to close it out from there but nice pass from Morgan and decent finish for their first and yeah, shocking touch from an otherwise faultless Gillesphey. Then we got away with one in injury time.
NJ doesn’t typically set up to dominate teams away from home and I thought Blackpool looked dangerous on the counter all afternoon. Would have taken a point before but it’s all about the b2b home games now.
And isn’t it great to be fully invested in Feb, take the positives.
True pain to throw it away in such a silly fashion.
We have a long way to go to make the playoffs.
Could have won , could have lost.
we are improving and would have lost this game a month ago and hopefully now start winning as we push up the league.
playoffs here we come
That’s only the second time in the last nine league matches that we’ve let two goals in – which underlines the reliability of our defence and that NJ’s set up is working. For the goals, AMB could have done better for their first and Gillesphey didn’t need to try and control that ball – just hoof it away into the stands for a throw in and then we can defend our lines. That mistake is why I want a left sided centre back, he’s prone to that kind of careless error.
NJ usually subs Karoy Anderson first and then rotates the forwards for Chuks and DK, to be fair Chuks does pull defences apart, he holds the ball up well and can time waste effectively, unfortunately yesterday we lost our flow when Godden and TC were subbed off and he came on and once they got the first they were always going to push for the second.
Briefly we were in the play-off zone, at least while we were winning and are up one place to seventh on the day and have momentum. A draw on the road isn’t a bad result and we have a week off after four games in 12 days.