Hull City 1-1 Blackpool: Tom Eaves leveller earns point for struggling Tigers

Tom EavesImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Tom Eaves' equaliser was Hull's second goal in five home matches this season

Tom Eaves rescued a draw for Championship strugglers Hull City with a late equaliser against Blackpool.

Shayne Lavery met Demetri Mitchell's chip to the edge of the six-yard box with a smartly-taken volley to put the Tangerines ahead.

City looked to be heading for a fourth straight defeat when Lewie Coyle was sent off for a second yellow card for hauling down Lavery.

But Keane Lewis-Potter picked out substitute Eaves who smashed a shot into the roof of the net.

The night almost got even better for Grant McCann's 10 men, but Blackpool goalkeeper Chris Maxwell dived full-length to keep out Tyler Smith's low drive and deny Hull a second win of the season.

In finishing as League One champions last season, Hull were nine points clear of Blackpool who had to go through the play-offs, but Neil Critchley's side have settled the better in the second tier.

They have now taken 10 points from their last five matches, while the Tigers remain winless in nine matches since they thumped Preston on the opening day of the season.

Hull had scored just once in eight games since that 4-1 away win and were booed off at half-time after failing to land an attempt on goal in the first half.

Blackpool mustered little in a quiet opening, but soon after Mitchell forced the first save of the match, Northern Ireland striker Lavery split the teams with his sixth league goal of the season.

Hull's first point in four matches lifts them above Nottingham Forest into 22nd, while Blackpool stay 14th after a third draw from five away trips this season.

Hull boss Grant McCann told BBC Radio Humberside:

"Over the last few weeks our performance levels have been good and I'm a firm believer that if we keep performing to those levels, then things will turn.

"I thought we controlled the game for large spells in terms of possession. I know we need to be better in the forward area in creating opportunities, that's clear to see, but they get one opportunity and it's in the back of our net and again we are licking our wounds.

"But the boys stayed really calm. The sending off was frustrating for us because I thought the first booking was soft.

"It was disappointing to lose Lewie because he's in good form, but we rallied and got the bit between our teeth, and I'm pleased for big Lee to get the goal because he's deserved that."

Blackpool manager Neil Critchley told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"When they went down to 10 men you think we've weathered the storm and we could go and kill the game.

"But we didn't because of our wastefulness in the final third, our poor decision-making. Our quality was horrendous and that's been an achilles heel for us.

"If we want to improve and get better and win games like this, like we should have done, then we need to improve drastically in the final third."

Sorry, we can't display this part of the article any more.

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.