Fleetwood Town 0-0 Blackpool
Fleetwood Town and Blackpool played out a 0-0 draw in a cagey Fylde Coast derby at Highbury Stadium.In a game with very little created by both teams, it means that Town and Blackpool will now both have two games left to try and retain their League One status.
Manager Steven Pressley named the same side for the fifth game on the trot. The notable inclusion however was Shola Ameobi, who was on the Cod Army bench.
Defender Nathan Pond, leading Fleetwood Town out against the Tangerines, broke the Club’s all-time appearance record with a tally of 421.
Visitors Blackpool lined up with a 4-4-2 diamond formation, former Morecambe striker Jack Redshaw spearing their attack.
There was a real derby atmosphere inside a packed Highbury Stadium, with less than 10 miles between the two grounds.
Pressley’s red and whites had a real fire in their bellies after Tuesday’s disappointment at Millwall, a game which they should have taken at least a point away from.
A couple of half chances fell to both sides in the first ten minutes but the first real opening came Town’s way in the 14th minute.
Antoni Sarcevic, with his back to goal, collected a pass from Sheffield United loanee Stefan Scougall inside the box. Smartly his first touch took the ball away from the Pool defender and on the turn, his effort was straight at Colin Doyle. Moments later, Bobby Grant, picked up on a loose ball 20-yards from
goal, but curled over the bar.
Fleetwood were gaining momentum as Wes Burns was next up, a ferocious drive from the edge of the penalty area was pushed away by Doyle and on the half hour mark, Sarcevic lashed a cunning effort wide.
But against the run of play, the visitors nearly sneaked ahead when Town were dispossessed on the half way line. With Conor McLaughlin out of position, Mark Cullen cut in from the left, only to be denied by a strong hand from Chris Maxwell.
Heart in the mouth moments for Fleetwood when Blackpool had a goal ruled out for offside as Jim McAlister’s effort was tapped in by Danny Philliskirk.
And to conclude the first half, Redshaw nearly cushioned the ball into the top left hand corner from 30-yards.
It was an edgy start to the second half with both teams knowing the implications of the result. This resulted in Steven Pressley introducing David Ball and Ashley Hunter from the bench, with Scougall and Grant the men to give way.
Both teams were battling hard and throwing everything on the line but chances were coming at a premium. The final change for FTFC saw Sarcevic withdrawn for the returning Ameobi.
With 20 minutes remaining, Jimmy Ryan rattled the Blackpool bar from 20-yards out after nice build up play involving subs Ball and Hunter.
Philliskirk, who was kept quiet by Pond and Jordan all afternoon, had a half chance for Blackpool with 15 minutes later, but the ball bounced wide.
Blackpool’s first change saw Martin Paterson come on for Philliskirk and the former Fleetwood Town man nearly put the sword to his old team mates, as his header from point blank range is pushed over by Maxwell.
But neither team could find a break through and the derby game finished 0-0 heading into the final two League One matches of the season.