Blackpool and Formby battled it out in a relegation dogfight but it was honours even after 70 minutes.
Blackpool had started the brighter, and looked particularly dangerous down the left flank, with Pete Latimer and his unrelated namesake Dave Latimer connecting well (at least when Pete Lat wasn’t passing the ball straight over the sideline), together with the lone striker Jordan Payne. It was early in the game when Dave Latimer passed to Payne who struck the ball firmly into the Formby D where it found a defender’s foot. Whilst the defence seemed to be awaiting a whistle, the umpire was allowing advantage as Alex Hughes had attacked from the opposite wing and was alert enough to pounce on the ball and slot it home for the first goal.
Formby seem come back into the game after two of their players who had arrived late had finished their thorough warm up and were subbed into the game. They had half-chances and a couple of short corners, but some good stops by Graeme Kilshaw kept them at bay. Meanwhile Blackpool were struggling to find a second goal and were wasting possession with their lone striker often isolated so went into the real with only a one goal advantage.
Formby started the brighter in the second half and put pressure on the Blackpool defence and fought for the ball in the midfield. They now had more attacks than Blackpool and the game was more open. One attack down the left led to a ball struck into Blackpool’s D which was initially saved by Kilshaw but the rebound went right into the path of an incoming Formby attacker who duly struck home for the equaliser.
Both side were now looking for the next goal, with Blackpool pushing men forward, and were unlucky with several attacks, with both Chris Hocking and Alex Hughes missing goals by inches. Formby were on another attack when there was a clash between Matt Atherton and Formby’s tall attacking midfielder. The initial clash looked accidental albeit causing a small but bloody cut to an eyebrow, but the reaction of the Formby player looked like a deliberate elbowing to many of the Blackpool players, and also caused Atherton to leave the field with a less obvious blood injury. After a lengthy delay it was deemed that there was no foul play and the game resumed.
Blackpool had more play in the final ten minutes, but just couldn’t convert, to their disappointment, and the final whistle blew too early for them.
The hunt for three points in 2015 continues, and it’s off to Urmston next week.