Nottingham Forest had to come from two goals down to avoid FA Cup third-round history repeating itself as they earned a 2-2 draw with League One Blackpool.

Forest looked like heading out to the Seasiders at this stage for a second straight year when they conceded twice in three first-half minutes, with Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel and Albie Morgan getting the goals.

But the Premier League outfit hit back with goals from Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White either side of the break.

They could not find a winner, though, meaning the tie will be settled with a replay at Bloomfield Road, where Forest were beaten 4-1 last season.

After a flat opening 20 minutes, the game burst into life as Forest had their first sight of goal when Chris Wood latched onto Gibbs-White’s excellent pass but could not keep his effort down.

And it hurt Forest as before they knew it they were 2-0 down, with Blackpool hitting them with a double salvo.

In the 25th minute Gonzalo Montiel’s poor clearance fell straight to Lawrence-Gabriel, who expertly headed home from 12 yards against his former club and was almost apologetic in his celebration.

Two minutes and 46 seconds later Blackpool were in dreamland as Morgan was left unmarked at the far post and he squeezed home CJ Hamilton’s cross.

Forest needed to improve and got themselves back in it in the 39th minute as Dominguez powered home Montiel’s cross with a well-placed header.

They should have gone in level as Gibbs-White slipped in Wood but the in-form New Zealand striker clipped just wide.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo sent the hosts back out early for the second half and they drew themselves level in the 56th minute with the goal of the game as Gibbs-White received the ball on the edge of the area from Callum Hudson-Odoi and arrowed an unstoppable drive into the corner.

Forest ramped up the pressure and should have taken the lead but Ryan Yates headed Danilo’s cross straight at Daniel Grimshaw, with the Blackpool goalkeeper also saving Hudson-Odoi’s late shot.

But they could not find the winner, Wood’s failure to connect with Hudson-Odoi’s cross ensuring it ended all square, with a replay scheduled to take place the week commencing January 15.

Port Vale boss Andy Crosby felt it was about time his side beat one of the bigger sides in League One after their 3-0 victory over Blackpool.

Ben Garrity’s opener was added to after half-time by James Wilson and Nathan Smith for a first win in three matches as Vale ended 2023 on a high.

And Crosby reserved particular praise for the likes of youngsters Ben Lomax and Jack Shorrock, who made their first League One starts as he effused about his side’s performance against the Seasiders.

He said: “It was a really good performance, both with and without the ball. There were four academy players in the 18, three on the pitch at once, like the two young boys who started the game making their full league debuts.

“I thought they were absolutely incredible, but I also think the senior players they had around them really looked after them within the game.

“We probably spent a little bit less time in the build-up phase today and we utilised the strengths of Uche (Ikpeazu) maybe a little bit earlier.

“It’s about time we beat a team here. It’s been a struggle for us since we’ve been in League One to beat one of the bigger clubs at home.

“We’ve been competitive this season against Bolton, Peterborough, Derby and lost by the odd goal, and we said before the game can we go and put a performance together both with and without the ball to be deserving of three points and I think we were.”

Neil Critchley felt Blackpool paid the price for not taking their opportunities before the Valiants went ahead as he lamented his side’s away form, but praised how the Seasiders kept going.

He said: “It’s a really tough night for us. For the first 35 minutes up until their goal, I thought we were in control of the game, had some good opportunities, don’t take them and with their first chance, they score.

“That’s the way it’s going for us away from home at this moment in time. We have a good chance to equalise after half-time, it goes straight at the goalkeeper, and then we get a deflected shot with their first chance after half-time that deflected straight over the goalkeeper and we’re 2-0 down and we’re chasing the game.

“We’re not getting that little bit of the rub of the green that sometimes you need in the penalty box and the big moments are going against us.

“But what I did see is, I saw a team that kept going right to the end. I thought their body language was very good and they were positive and that’s important because we need to stick together.”

Caretaker boss Gary Mills was proud of his Burton players after they beat Blackpool 1-0 to register a first win in nine League One matches.

Bobby Kamwa netted the game’s only goal after 10 minutes, with play-off hopefuls Blackpool unable to respond.

“It was a really good performance and really proud of the group,” Mills said.

“The energy and pride they showed in their performance was excellent and that is credit to everyone at the football club. They deserve that.”

Albion got off to a fast start and were rewarded when Kamwa’s teasing cross beat everybody and nestled in the far corner.

“It was a message (getting at Blackpool early) that we hammered home before the game,” Mills said. “We wanted to start fast and right, full of energy and we wanted to engage the crowd, who I thought were fantastic today for us.”

Former Leeds youngster Kamwa has not featured much for Albion this season but earned praise from his boss after scoring his first goal since the final game of 2022.

“We spoke at length about getting more crosses into the box,” Mills said. “The type of delivery was always asking questions.

“I thought Bobby was fantastic. He has come into the side today having been out for a little while, but he showed real energy and was a threat all game. I thought we looked a decent side on the counter-attack today.”

A rare clean sheet was down to superb defending, led by skipper John Brayford, and Mills knew that his side had put bodies on the line to secure victory.

“Defensively we were outstanding,” he said. “They gave us a real platform to play off and defended for their lives and they really stuck together.”

Blackpool head coach Neil Critchley was left bemoaning another poor away day as his team lost for the second time in a row on the road, having gone down 2-1 at Cambridge on December 16, denting their play-off aspirations.

“I am sick of having this feeling away from home, to be honest,” he said. “We give a team a goal head start, which means you are chasing the game.

“We played some good football in the first half with one or two decent opportunities.

“Second half, obviously, they are holding onto their lead and we have pushed them right back and it is not easy then to break down 11 men behind the ball, but when we got into good situations or promising areas of the pitch, we failed. Again. It is deja vu from Cambridge.”

Critchley was also critical of the defending for Burton’s goal.

“It’s a diagonal down the pitch and we are nowhere near aggressive enough on the touchline,” he said. “We don’t stop the ball coming in the box and it finds its way into the bottom corner.”

Burton claimed a first win in nine Sky Bet League One games as Bobby Kamwa’s early goal sealed a 1-0 victory over play-off hopefuls Blackpool.

Kamwa’s strike came almost a year after his last goal, in the final game of 2022, and gave Albion something to build on.

Goalkeeper Max Crocombe picked him out on the left wing and some superb chest control allowed him to cut inside and swing in a cross that evaded Burton forward Bez Lubala before nestling in the far corner of the net.

Jordan Rhodes squandered a good chance for the visitors, firing over from 12 yards and ex-Blackpool man Lubala saw a long-range effort deflected wide.

Sam Hughes almost doubled Albion’s advantage two minutes into the second half, his header from Joe Powell’s corner deflecting just wide.

Ollie Norburn and James Husband flashed efforts wide as Blackpool chased a second-half equaliser.

Burton also needed crucial late blocks from skipper John Brayford and Steve Seddon to see off the threat of the Seasiders before a vital three points were finally secured.

Bristol Rovers paid the price for their naivety according to manager Matt Taylor after they fell to a 3-1 defeat away to Sky Bet League One play-off contenders Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

John Marquis had equalised for Rovers after Ollie Norburn’s stunning opener. But second-half goals from Jake Beesley and Jordan Rhodes were enough to see Blackpool to three comfortable points.

Taylor felt it was only too obvious where the difference in the sides lay.

He said: “We were pleased to be level at half-time, but their second goal was a goal out of nothing. We showed a bit of inexperience and naivety. We didn’t quite do the basics.

“It’s happened far too often this season. We need to cut basic errors out if you want to be challenging in the top half of this league table. The basics is to defend your goal.

“It’s about a reaction to try and get back in the game, sometimes staying level for a bit longer is needed. The second goal was a real killer.

“We got into some dangerous positions, but didn’t work their keeper enough. They went a bit deeper as the game went on, but we weren’t able to force the issue enough.

“Apart from Luke Thomas, who was industrious all afternoon and a threat, we didn’t quite have it in us to beat an opposition player.”

Blackpool now sit four points adrift of the play-off places, with Norburn giving them the lead after 21 minutes with a screamer from 30 yards into the top corner.

Rovers responded when Marquis tapped home from close range, but Blackpool continued to press, Karamoko Dembele hitting the crossbar from a free-kick.

He then set up Beesley to restore the Blackpool lead a minute into the second half, with Rhodes notching his 15th of the season eight minutes from time to make the game safe, much to the satisfaction of Neil Critchley.

The Blackpool boss said: “I thought it was a positive performance. We started the game well and I thought we looked a good team.

“It was disappointing to be 1-1 at half-time.

“It was a fantastic first goal and how the goal came about was really pleasing. Ollie has shown that he can do it in training, so when he did line it up, we knew there was a chance. As soon as it left his foot it was like an arrow – a great strike.

“Up until the first goal, we were the team on the front foot playing in their half. We were disappointed to let an equaliser in, but the timing of the second and third goals were crucial. Bristol Rovers came into the game in the second half.

“It’s a good three points and a good start to the Christmas period. But we have to go to Burton now and get something.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley hailed his side’s determination after a 3-0 win against struggling Forest Green Rovers set up a third-round FA Cup clash with Nottingham Forest.

The Seasiders were without several players in the rescheduled fixture, with Kylian Kouassi and Shayne Lavery among those sidelined through injury.

Thanks to goals from Owen Dale in the first half and Jordan Gabriel and Marvin Ekpiteta in the second, Blackpool cruised to victory at Bloomfield Road.

Critchley hoped for better injury fortune over the festive period as his side prepare to face Bristol Rovers.

He said: “We had to work hard for it until the last 15 minutes. I always felt we were the dominant team, we were comfortable.

“But whilst it’s 1-0, you’re always mindful of them getting a breakaway or set-piece or something.

“Until we got the second goal, although we were pretty dominant, you’re never quite sure that you’re going to win the game.

“Hopefully we have a clean bill of health and we can move on to Bristol Rovers on Saturday now.

“You look across the team, some players haven’t played for a bit so it’s not going to be easy. There was an element of risk doing that – a calculated one but the players equipped themselves well and we’re into the next round.”

The Seasiders dominated for much of the game against their League Two opponents, as David Horseman’s second-half triple substitution did little to trouble Blackpool’s defence.

Horseman admitted goalkeeper Luke Daniels’ 18th-minute error made it an “uphill battle” after Dale pounced on a loose ball to tap home for the first.

He insisted 3-0 was a flattering scoreline for Blackpool and rued soft goals that led to their second-round exit.

He said: “They were bigger, quicker and stronger all over the pitch and won every duel.

“We were OK and organised. Luke hasn’t had many saves to make, but to give the first goal away makes it an uphill challenge.

“The second one is a 60-yard ball diagonal from the wide man that splits two players and goes through and at the end it’s a free header. We gave away three really soft goals.

“It’s a marker we need to do much better.

“The goals were really bad individual errors. We knew when we made the changes and bring the boys on, we give the second goal away.

“The three goals were really, really bad. The 3-0 I think flatters them, they deserved to win but it flatters them. It leaves a really bad taste.”

Owen Dale, Jordan Gabriel and Marvin Ekpiteta were on target in a 3-0 win for Blackpool against Forest Green to set up a third-round FA Cup tie with Nottingham Forest.

It was Blackpool who drew first blood after 18 minutes when Dale charged down a loose ball and beat keeper Luke Daniels in a 50-50 challenge before tapping into an empty net.

Dom Thompson and Matty Virtue both missed chances to extend the lead before half-time.

Kyle Joseph then had another opportunity to put the game beyond Forest Green but could not find the net.

Rovers manager David Horseman made a triple substitution midway through the second half in search of a route back into the game, including the introduction of player-coach Troy Deeney.

It had little impact as Blackpool continued to dominate, and Gabriel smashed home a second 15 minutes from time.

Ekpiteta put the game beyond doubt when he headed Karamoko Dembele’s free-kick into the net to round off a good night’s work.

Neil Harris was delighted with Cambridge’s attitude after securing his first win since taking over as Mark Bonner’s replacement.

Cambridge came from behind through Elias Kachunga and Gassan Ahadme’s penalty to beat Blackpool 2-1, having earlier gone behind to a Jordan Rhodes header. Harris’ side held on despite Paul Digby’s late red card.

“I can’t praise them enough, for not just today’s result but large parts of the performance,” Harris said afterwards.

“It’s about personality and character to get three points, and we showed that.

“It was a scrappy performance at times, but a battling performance, I’d say a Cambridge United performance in my opinion. The week in front of it was first class.

“Momentum is a key word. Today we certainly wanted a positive out of it, a positive result was the primary target, but if not then a really positive performance to carry that momentum.

“To get a really strong performance, to win the game like we did, again in adversity like last week from two down to get a point, today down to 10 men to see the game out, I credit my players. That shows I’ve got character in that changing room.

“Momentum carries for another week to Friday night. We’ve got a huge game on Friday night. I’ve said to the boys WNG – win the next game mentality is our work. My focus now is on Exeter already.

“To carry that momentum, to get three points from my first game here at the Abbey as Cambridge United manager, I can’t be more privileged and proud.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley expressed his disappointment at his team’s display after being pegged back.

“At 1-0, we were in control of the game, for an away team. We were comfortable, but the two goals that we conceded were really poor goals,” he said.

“Both goals were really questionable in terms of decision-making from the referee. The first one’s a foul, a clear foul and he’s standing right next to it. I’m not sure why he doesn’t give it. The second one’s a clear handball and he misses it again.

“Having said that, with two passes they’re clean through on our goal on both occasions. We were far too open in those moments. From being 1-0 and in control of the game, we give a team that’s (in their) first home game for the new manager, we gave them a lift.

“Then they have something to hold onto in the second half. We showed an inability in the final third to create enough meaningful opportunities to get back into the game.

“If you’re not at your best you’ve got to try and pick up something on the road and we haven’t done that today.”

Neil Critchley is desperate for Jordan Rhodes to stay at Blackpool after the veteran striker bagged two goals in their 3-0 win against Carlisle.

Rhodes signed on a season-long loan from Huddersfield last summer but the Terriers have the option to recall him next month.

Rhodes is bang in form and took his season’s tally to 13 on Saturday, while Huddersfield need all the help they can get in their battle against relegation from the Championship.

No decision has been taken but manager Critchley is determined to make the most of the 33-year-old and has urged his young forwards to learn all they can after he scored twice in the second half.

“I felt we were comfortable and the second goal was a real bit of quality from Jordan. That settled us down and we were comfortable,” said Critchley.

“We watch Jordan and try and learn from him and he’s a good example to our strikers who have not had his career. They should be aspiring to achieve what he’s done.

“His positioning inside the penalty box and his patience, his movement, cleverness and ability to finish off both feet or his head is outstanding. We’re delighted he’s here and we really want that to continue for the year.”

The Seasiders went ahead through Andy Lyons, who chipped Tomas Holy after the Carlisle goalkeeper fumbled a cross.

Blackpool dominated and deservedly added a second when Rhodes reacted quickest to a rebound in the box.

The Scottish striker then took his tally to 13 for the season with a clinical finish late on.

“It was a good finish from Andy Lyons and good cross for the second goal, it was a good all-round team performance,” Critchley added.

“When teams come here and want to frustrate you, it becomes doubly difficult. The first goal can be crucial, and we got it.”

Carlisle were toothless as they succumbed to their 11th league defeat of the season.

Alfie McDermott and Jordan Gibson had their best chances but they were comfortably outplayed and manager Paul Simpson admits they do not have the quality required at this level.

“There was a difference there,” he said.

“I’m really disappointed with our performance, but it’s not through a lack of effort. It’s through a lack of quality – that’s my opinion on it.

“We’ve been poor on the ball today, poor in our decision-making, but I think they’ve tried to do the right things. That’s the base we should expect.

“We’re short. We have to get through to January and it’s as simple as that.

“Everybody has to react in the right way and we’ve got two home games coming up that we have to do properly.”

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley said ‘belief in the group is showing’ after his team ended Portsmouth’s 27-match unbeaten record in Sky Bet League One with a 4-0 win at Fratton Park.

Former Pompey loanee Owen Dale, Jack Beesley, CJ Hamilton and Albie Morgan scored the goals as Pompey, who had midfielder Joe Morrell dismissed, were knocked off the top of the table by Bolton.

Critchley said: “It’s a big win for us, coming to the leaders and getting four goals.

“The team was selected to go at Portsmouth and get the win. Even after we went ahead, you could see Pompey’s quality in how they came back at us.

“We’ve got the second early in the second half, and then we’ve seen them go down to 10 and gone on to get two more.

“You could say things have gone slightly for us today, but we played bravely for the whole game.

“We had to defend the goal very well, which we did.

“The belief in the group is showing after a busy summer, and it’s showing on the training ground.”

The Seasiders took the lead in the ninth minute as Hamilton crossed for the unmarked Dale to find the net.

Pompey should have equalised on 23 minutes, but new signings Josh Martin could not beat goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw in a one-on-one situation.

Grimshaw then produced a stunning push out from Marvin Ekpiteta’s sliced attempted clearance a few minutes later.

Blackpool made it two 11 minutes into the second half as Karamoko Dembele’s shot was deflected in by Jake Beesley.

Things got worse for Pompey when skipper Morrell received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 64th minute.

Hamilton got a third 16 for the visitors minutes from time and substitute Morgan sealed the rout with three minutes remaining.

Pompey boss John Mousinho felt Morrell’s dismissal was a key moment in the game.

He said: “The result is obviously very disappointing, and I think there is loads to pick out of the game.

“You’ve probably got to look at it as two separate games really. What happened before the red card and after it.

“We responded well to going behind, and I said to the lads at half-time that we played pretty well.

“We created some chances that we didn’t put away, along with a couple of good saves from their goalkeeper, who we didn’t work enough.

“We were slow to get at it in the second half. Their second goal was deflected off of Beesley, who was blatantly offside, but the officials said he wasn’t interfering.

“I thought Joe’s sending off was correct. He needs to stay on his feet, and I’ve told him that.”

Boss Neil Critchley hailed a patient Jake Beesley as the striker scored twice to help Blackpool to a comprehensive 4-0 League One win at home to Shrewsbury.

Beesley scored once in each half, either side of a Kyle Joseph strike that sealed all three points after Jordan Rhodes opened the scoring from the penalty spot.

It was the striker’s first league goals of the season following on from a double in midweek against Morecambe in the EFL Trophy.

The result halts a three-game winless run in the league for the Seasiders and moves them to within goal difference of the play-offs.

“I’m made up for Jake,” said Critchley. “Four goals in a week is a great way to make your mark. He’s seen players come in before him but kept his professionalism.

“It’s been a good day for us. Scoring four goals and keeping a clean sheet is important as well because we’ve not had one for a while.

“You can become loose and complement, so the message at half-time was to keep doing the basics well.

“We played some good football and it was a comfortable win in the end. Scoring first slightly early in the game makes it easier for you.

“We thought we would go for it at home. We thought Shrewsbury would come with a gameplan to be defensive and stop us from controlling the game, so we went with an attacking team.

“The result gets us back on track and gives us a lift. We needed that in the league.”

While victory leaves Blackpool looking up, Shrewsbury manager Matt Taylor rued his side’s performance that sees their patchy league form continue.

Shrews came into the game off the back of 3-2 victories in both the league and EFL Trophy but Taylor admitted his side were well off the pace at Bloomfield Road to condemn them to a 10th league defeat of the season.

“It’s an unacceptable result,” he said. “The goals that we’ve give away without having the time to go back over them aren’t anywhere near good enough.

“We’ve got to be better away from home, accept full responsibility on behalf of the football club for the results. They’re not good enough.

“Our fans have spent money to come and watch us today and for us to go away and put in a performance like that is nowhere near acceptable.

“You can accept being beaten by a team who have had to work hard for their goals, but that hasn’t been the case tonight so (it’s) extremely disappointing.

“It’s a difficult place to come, but what you can’t do is come here and make it difficult for the opposition and that’s what we’ve done today. It’s not good enough.”

Ian Evatt called George Thomason’s stunning match winner “very special” as Bolton’s fifth straight Skybet League One victory was made in Blackpool.

Midfielder Thomason, let go by the Seasiders at 16, netted a superb 74th-minute strike to the delight of ex-Bloomfield Road favourite, Evatt, with the Tangerines beaten 1-0.

“Football throws up these stories sometimes,” said the Bolton boss who earned promotion to the Premier League during his seven-year career on the Fylde Coast.

“For a young boy to be released by Blackpool and score the winner for Bolton is something very special.

“I am very proud of him. But I am proud of them all because that was a very tough game.

“That club (Blackpool) is dear to my heart but so is this one. There is nobody happier than me that we won that game “

Bolton did not have things all their own way with Karamoko Dembele hitting a post, Matt Pennington heading wide and CJ Hamilton failing to convert James Husband’s second-half cross.

“What an advert for League One football,” enthused Evatt after a derby watched by 24,238 fans.

“I thought it was such a high-quality game, two teams that are good with and without the ball.

“I thought we shaded it, to be honest, had the better chances, and we raised the tempo second half.

“The togetherness in the group, the people they are, they are amazing. I can’t wait to get back out on the grass with them again on Monday. It excites me working with this group of players.”

Pool chief manager Neil Critchley reckoned he had been more annoyed after seeing his team win this season.

But he remained upset a potential handball by Thomason was not punished with a penalty by referee Ben Toner.

“It was a good game played between two good teams in the right spirit,” he said echoing Evatt’s words. “It took a fantastic strike from outside the box to decide it.

“I can’t fault the way we played or the effort. I have been angrier after some of the games we have won this season.

“I am disappointed to lose any game. It is a horrible feeling and with the following we had who got right behind the team you want to send them home happy.

“Performance wise though, we contributed to a good game. We knew they were in form but I thought we more than matched them.

“There wasn’t anything in it really. We just didn’t work their keeper when we created our chances.

“But For me there was a clear handball and penalty. The referee can see it, he should give it but he didn’t.

“One big decision he had to make he got it strong. You need those things to go for you in game of fine margins.”

One-time Bloomfield Road youngster George Thomason scored a spectacular 74th-minute winner to earn in-form Bolton a 1-0 Skybet League One win over Blackpool in front of 24,238 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

And Wanderers’ sixth successive win in all competitions was extra special for boss Ian Evatt who spent seven years as a player with the Seasiders, helping them into the Premier League.

Now, Evatt, who picked up a late booking, has sights set on taking the Trotters into the Championship.

But the home side were second best for large parts of the opening half. Karamoko Dembele curled a shot against a post after only three minutes as Neil Critchley’s team relished its task of trying to take down Bolton’s winning run.

However, the Trotters grew into the contest and Randell Williams hit the woodwork with a free-kick before forcing Dan Grimshaw into an unconvincing save.

Bolton, who had not previously beaten Blackpool in the league since 2014, remained in the ascendancy with Grimshaw twice denying top scorer Dion Charles.

CJ Hamilton squandered a great chance for the visitors after 69 minutes via James Husband’s cross before Thomason broke the deadlock with a rising left-

foot drive from 20 yards.

Blackpool were too good for National League high-fliers Bromley as they secured a 2-0 FA Cup first round victory at Hayes Lane.

Neil Critchley’s Seasiders made sure of their place in the draw thanks to clinical first-half strikes from Shane Lavery and Karamoko Dembele.

Bromley made the worst possible start when they conceded after just five minutes as Lavery charged on to Kylian Kouassi’s measured through-ball before burying a super shot high into the roof of the net.

The hosts created their first clear opening in the 18th minute but Corey Whitely could not quite divert his side-footed effort on target.

That was a rare foray forward, however, and it was no surprise to see Blackpool double their lead shortly before the half-hour mark.

The impressive Dembele, on loan from French outfit Brest, tucked a shot past Grant Smith from a tight angle following a tidy one-two with Kouassi.

Bromley had the first chance after the interval, with Ayodeji Elerewe fizzing in a low strike which veteran Blackpool goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell dived full length to beat away.

The Seasiders responded almost immediately and Owen Dale turned smartly inside a defender before forcing Smith into an eye-catching near-post save.

Time was running out for Bromley and Michael Cheek’s near open goal miss in the 89th minute capped what proved to be a miserable evening.

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley was left frustrated after his side were forced to settle for a 3-3 draw in a thrilling Lancashire derby against Fleetwood.

Sonny Carey’s brilliant brace cancelled out early goals from Promise Omochere and Jack Marriott.

Shayne Lavery seemingly secured the bragging points for the Seasiders, but Marriott popped up with a dramatic last-gasp equaliser.

Critchley said: “It’s really difficult to know where to start because there are so many incidents in the game.

“My overriding feeling is that it’s two points dropped and it’s a game we should have won.

“I don’t know how many shots at goal we had, or chances that we created but it’s numerous and as the away team.

“At 3-2 we’ve got ourselves into a winning position after giving ourselves a mountain to climb first half.

“It’s a game we should see out. Even when they equalise we’ve still almost gone on to win the game.

“It’s a difficult one to sum up. We created chances. We constantly got into the final third in the first half and failed.

“We conceded two really poor goals, but if we keep conceding twos and threes it’s going to be difficult to win games of football.”

The Cod Army made a fast start and looked set to land a first Lancashire derby win for five years.

But they eventually had to come from behind to earn a point.

Boss Lee Johnson said: “The boys are disappointed and I’m disappointed.

“Ben Heneghan, to give an example, had told the lads we should have had nine points this week and instead we’ve got five, which is not a disaster.

“We’ve started a bit of an unbeaten run, but we need to deal with oppositions’ spells better.

“I thought there was a lot of character on the pitch, from both teams. And the fans really made it that derby atmosphere, and I love that.

“I want to see that against Exeter when we play them at home. We can create that with our spirit on the pitch and our spirit off the pitch.

“The spell that we conceded three goals, you ask whether they were fantastic or if we were poor. We felt we should have defended those much better.

“They threw caution to the wind, they had bright, busy players but we should have dealt with it better. We can coach it.

“We’ve started to score goals regularly which is really positive. It’s a sign that we’re improving, but it’s a sign we can’t get ahead of ourselves at anytime in any match and we need to stay focused.”