Appleton takes positives from Blackpool’s draw with Brum

Blackpool boss Michael Appleton took plenty of positives from their 0-0 stalemate with Birmingham at Bloomfield Road.

The draw did not lift the Tangerines up the Championship table and they remain in 23rd, a point from safety, but Appleton was generally pleased after it halted a run of four straight defeats.

Birmingham had the better of the chances, seeing two goals ruled out for offside and Tahith Chong hit the woodwork towards the end of the first half.

Blackpool improved after the break and Appleton believes the point will give them confidence heading into tough away fixtures against Cardiff and Hull.

“I think the players can take confidence from it,” said Appleton. “Clean sheet – we haven’t kept enough of them this season – against a side who the (international) break probably came at a poor time for because they were in a decent bit of form.

“So to see that out reasonably comfortably, it’s a point on the board and I think we can look forward to a couple of away games now.

“In the second half there was more purpose to us. We were on the front foot, kept them penned in their half for long spells and the quality will improve when a little bit of confidence comes back into the team, there’s no doubt about it.

“And if we can get that and a little bit of momentum, with some of the areas that we get into, we’ll make better decisions.”

Blues boss John Eustace was left frustrated after Maxime Colin’s effort on the stroke of half-time was disallowed due to attackers standing in the eye-line of home keeper Chris Maxwell.

He said: “I’m really disappointed, obviously, about the [first] goal that was chalked off. I think that was very harsh.

“I haven’t seen many goals chalked off for standing around those areas and the goalkeeper was nowhere near the shot.”

However, the draw means that 14th-place Birmingham have lost just one of their last six matches and the manner of the visitors’ performance delighted Eustace.

“But overall, after three or four weeks off, to come back and have a good solid performance like that was very pleasing,” he added.

“I thought we deserved to win the game. I thought we were excellent. With and without the ball we looked good.”

And Eustace was also full of praise for Chong, who saw his deft dink strike the inside of the post before half-time.

“Chongy’s trying his socks off to get a goal and when he does get that first goal he’s going to be flying,” Eustace added.

“His work rate, his effort, his all-round game today was very good and he was obviously unlucky on the chance.”