Neil Critchley happy to win but knows Blackpool made it hard for themselves

Posted Wednesday, October 25, 2023 by PA

Neil Critchley lamented Blackpool’s inability to kill Cheltenham off despite holding on for a 3-2 victory.

The Seasiders surged into a 3-0 first-half lead and that would prove enough to earn a third win in six League One games.

Shayne Lavery, Jordan Rhodes and Karamoko Dembele all scored for the home side to put them in cruise control.

But a brace from Will Goodwin made it a nervy ending for the hosts – an unnecessarily fraught finish in their manager’s view.

“We made what could’ve been a comfortable night really difficult,” said Critchley. “We were very good in the first half and played very well – we could’ve had one or two more goals.

“We started the second half quite well and had some chances to finish the game, but we didn’t. They changed and that made a difference to them.

“When they get the second goal, it’s game on. I was disappointed with our second half, but I have to look at the positives as well and remember we still won the game.

“The players need to learn, and we will only get better. You’ve got to remember we still deservedly won the game.
“We were the team that deserved to win the game so let’s not forget that.”

Cheltenham did end their long wait for an away goal in League One when Ben Williams found Goodwin in the box and he netted from a tight angle.

His second came on 86 minutes when he touched home from close range after Rob Street’s looping header was not dealt with.

Cheltenham boss Darrell Clarke was left to rue lapses in the first half for his side’s fourth straight loss on the road in the league.

“Obviously disappointed with that first-half defending,” said Clarke. “Too many times their long balls caused us problems and we didn’t deal with that at the back.

“Second half, the response was good. We get that goal just before half-time and we get another one and we are chasing it. We are chucking more forward players on and the boys kept to it, so credit to them for that.

“It’s always going to be a difficult game for ourselves, coming to a team like Blackpool who are going to be in the top six. They have a squad of talent, but for effort, commitment and desire, it was all there to see.

“We are just really disappointed with the soft goals we gave away. We have to deal with the back post for the first one. The second one is a lucky deflection, when it ricocheted about three times and the other one he gets his shot away too easily for me.

“We are disappointed with that, even if they got a bit of luck for one of them. We kept going, working hard and caused them one or two problems. We’ll go again. “