Pool Rue Referee In Pulsating Everton Draw

Blackpool kept ticking over in the Premier League after a 2-2 draw at home to Everton.

The Seasiders twice took the lead at Bloomfield Road but were left ruing concentration levels after the Toffees pegged them back immediately on both occasions.
Neal Eardley’s freekick was cancelled out by Tim Cahill in the first half whilst a David Vaughan effort was closely followed by Seamus Coleman’s equaliser.

It was Ian Holloway’s side, who made all the early running and after coming out characteristically strongly, won a freekick 20 yards from the away goal in the tenth minute when Mikel Arteta hauled down the marauding Charlie Adam. It looked for all the world that the skipper would have a go but surprisingly right back Eardley stepped up brilliantly to find the Everton right hand corner past Tim Howard.

As has happened a few times at Bloomfield Road this year, home fans were still celebrating when the opposition hit back. The Blackpool back four were left watching as Distin and Yakubu waltzed down the left hand side before the latter found Tim Cahill to plant a header past Matt Gilks on 13 minutes.

From then on, Pool looked shaky in possession and lacked real ideas or running off the ball until half time. Steven Pienaar was looking a constant threat from wide areas and if Yakubu was more mobile up front, there could have been huge problems.

However, Pool got to half time unscathed and came out a different team in the second period.

Moments after the restart a tenacious run from David Vaughan culminated in the Welsh international firing home from 10 yards to again put the Tangerines ahead and to cap his best ever performance in a Pool shirt.

Sadly though, the lead didn’t last.

Stephen Crainey was caught out positionally which saw Seamus Coleman drop his shoulder and race for goal. He arrived in the box and struck a low drive towards Matt Gilks which crept under the ‘keeper; perhaps the stopper will think he could have done better with it.

Former Blackpool loanee Coleman himself didn’t really celebrate and conducted himself impeccably throughout.
Matt Phillips and Elliot Grandin were introduced soon after, replacing Keith Southern – playing against his first club – and the disappointing Gary Taylor-Fletcher.
And that double change saw a shift in how the game would pan out. It meant that the attacking football of both sides was so open that it’s a huge surprise that the game ended at 2-2.

Perhaps it shouldn’t have finished that way though. Another substitute, Marlon Harewood, found himself clean through on Tim Howard but as he found the net (with all players unaware of any infringement) referee Andre Marriner blew for an earlier push. The push was unseen by thousands.

Despite that, the Seasiders can be delighted with their display and are a finisher away from tucking teams away with ease. Four points from two home games is a brilliant haul, especially after their indifferent start, which means the team can relax ahead of the game with Aston Villa on Wednesday.