Late Show Earns Point For Pool

Phew, great game of football!! Not the greatest performance, and a few tactical issues need sorting, but on the whole - a good result.

A really good atmosphere inside Bloomfield Road today, and the fans who turned up deserve a pat on the back, and I for one hope this continues, as it has been missing for several years, since the new stands were built.

The match was bright, with plenty of passion (not a word we often associate with Blackpool!) and Pool immediately took the upper hand with both Simon Gillett and Wes Hoolahan causing immediate problems down the flanks. Ben Burgess and Hoola Hoop both went close before 20 minutes were on the clock.

Both sides had chances again with Gillett and Danny Coid nearly finding the net for Pool and Stefan Stam going close for Athletic. Then the first goal of the game after 40 minutes. Scott Vernon`s "cannon ball" effort found the net past Les Pogalocomi, much to the disbelieve of the Oldham following.

After the restart former Pool playmaker Richie Wellens was only booked for appearing to head butt Simon Gillett who also received a yellow card. It was the start of a host of errors by Mr M Jones.

Oldham drew the scores level thanks to Wellens and then took the lead with a header from Chris Porter after some dismal defending. The first goal was offside. Wellens fired in a shot from 20 yards, and it appeared that Stam was obstructing Rhys Evans` view in the Pool goal.

At 2-1, Pool needed something special to get a point. In the end, scrappy was to do when Claus Jorgensen crossed for Andy Morrell to pick up and slash home his first goal in tangerine and send the home support wild.

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