Jay Spearing has delivered his verdict on Blackpool’s narrow home defeat to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday night, as they failed to comeback from a two-goal deficit after a poor first-half showing.

Neil Critchley’s first game since being appointed the club’s new manager showed a lot of signs of positivity for the rest of the season as they held local rivals and promotion-chasers Fleetwood Town to a stalemate at Highbury.

This meant they came into this game against a struggling Tranmere side looking to build on a solid draw by getting three points on the board, but were pegged back in the first-half by two goals for the visitors.

A deft header from Morgan Ferrier and a clinical finish off the post from James Vaughan in stoppage time but the Super Whites in dreamland at half-time. 

Blackpool came out with much more purpose in the second-half and got their rewards via Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as he fired a powerful drive in from 30 yards to give the Tangerines hope.

The scores remained 2-1 at full-time and saw Critchley taste defeat for the first time in management, and in disappointing circumstances.

Club captain Jay Spearing took to Twitter to reflect on the game and remained positive in his verdict of a poor result:

Up next for the Tangerines is another home clash as they welcome Phil Parkinson’s Sunderland to Bloomfield Road, who fell to a 2-0 defeat away to Bristol Rovers.

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The verdict

It wasn’t the best performance from Blackpool but they can take positives from their improvement after the interval.

Dewsbury-Hall’s individual performances have been marvellous so far for Blackpool and they will be looking for more of the same from him in the coming weeks.

Critchley is still waiting for his first win as Blackpool boss and they will be hopeful of taking advantage of Sunderland’s recent dip to get back to winning ways.

There is virtually no chance of Blackpool breaking back into the play-off picture this season but they will still be keen to build their momentum and find their feet under new management.