Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Blackpool: Lancashire derby draw dents hosts' promotion hopes

Sam Gallagher scores for BlackburnImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Sam Gallagher had given Blackburn the lead against Blackpool

Marvin Ekpiteta's second-half goal for Blackpool denied Blackburn Rovers victory to dent their Championship play-off challenge.

Ekpiteta's side-foot finish just after half-time cancelled out Sam Gallagher's early opener for the home side.

Rovers, who have only won two of their past 13 games, stay two points outside the top six with five games remaining.

They were almost denied even a point in stoppage time as Joshua Bowler's shot was deflected against the outside of the post.

Blackpool, who stay 16th, largely held their hosts well in the second half as frustrations grew at Ewood Park.

Their equaliser came three minutes after the break as a corner from the left was not dealt with by Blackburn and fell for Ekpiteta to turn in for his fourth goal of the season.

The hosts had a warning moments before as they failed to clear a free-kick and Shayne Lavery's shot was deflected wide.

Blackpool almost took an early lead after Scott Wharton slipped and allowed CJ Hamilton to sprint 30 yards in on goal but he was denied by Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski.

Minutes later Kaminski floated a long ball over the visitors' defence and found Gallagher, who took two touches into the area and clipped over Chris Maxwell.

But Tony Mowbray's side failed to build on their early lead and have slipped out of form at the wrong time of the season - but they do have a trip to bottom-of-the-table Peterborough to come on Good Friday.

Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"We felt below our standard today and the dressing room is disappointed.

"Our back three have been our best players this year but they had a tough day today and the ball hung around our box too long.

"We take the point and move on and we've got five games to go."

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley:

"It was a hard-fought game, two committed teams, I'm so proud of the players and the way they played the game.

"To concede the goal we did, the type of goal and to show the response we did shows the type of players and people we've got in our dressing room.

"We've had a tough week and to come to a club like Blackburn who are pushing to get into the play-offs, and the quality of player they've got, to go toe-to-toe with them and take the game to them the best we can, I felt that we deserved a point."

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