Richard Keogh knows mistakes are hurting Blackpool

Blackpool interim manager Richard Keogh is concerned that his players “keep getting punished for every little mistake we’re making” after their 2-2 comeback draw against Wycombe.

The Chairboys took the lead through a Garath McCauley rebound, but that was cancelled out by Kyle Joseph before half-time.

A second-half screamer from Dan Udoh looked to have won it for Wycombe, but Jake Beesley’s late header earned a point for the Seasiders.

And Keogh, after drawing his second consecutive league game in temporary charge, said: “I think our mentality to keep going is really important.

“I think Tuesday’s cup win probably helped with that. I think we were creating so many chances. I know we didn’t take a lot of them, but I think that gave the team belief that we can find a way back in the game.

“I think, in terms of chances created, we probably deserved to win the game, but the reality is that we drew it.

“There’s a few things we need to need to correct, but overall I thought we played very well.

“This week I’ve been focusing on giving back to the group. We’ve not have many training days, really – it’s been a lot of recovery days, and tactical days.

“You’ve got to prepare for the games when you’re playing against really good opponents.

“So, I just wanted to give the lads a good game plan. They’re the ones carrying it out and credit to them.

“There’s still loads for us to work on. I think we’re getting punished for every little mistake we’re making at the moment, and the only way you get through is by working hard.

“By getting on to the training ground, by trying to get make ourselves better. And we have to keep enjoying the work.

“We want to push each other, and as long as we’re doing that on the training pitch, then we give ourselves a good opportunity to improve.”

His opposite number Matt Bloomfield felt his Wycombe side suffered for a poor start.

He said: “I didn’t think we were good enough in the first half. We’ve had maybe 24 hours less to prepare than Blackpool. “We’ve had a long week on the road, and I thought we just weren’t that half a yard closer to people than we should’ve been from the start, which was disappointing.

“We changed shape and I thought we got loads better. Then probably the biggest disappointment is that once we got ourselves ahead, we were in control of the game. I felt really, really comfortable – and the equaliser was offside.

“So, I guess a couple of things went against us, but on the balance of play, it was probably a fair result.

“It’s disappointing really because we work a lot and we’ve spoken a lot this week about our back line trying to squeeze on their strikers. It’s unfortunate because they squeezed the line and left him in there, and then they played the cross and he’s (Beesley) only got on the wrong side of Joe Low because he’s offside.
“But, it’s been a very, very good week. To go Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday with a win-win-draw, I think if you’d have offered me that last Saturday morning I would have taken it.

“So, there’s plenty to be pleased about, plenty to work on, but a few contentious decisions in there today.”