OWEN Coyle revealed he expected the ‘heavy-legged’ performance from his Rovers side in the first half at Blackpool, after subjecting them to a tough week.

Ben Marshall grabbed an equaliser just before half-time after Coyle’s side had fallen behind for the first time in pre-season when Kyle Vassell’s shot was deflected past Jason Steele by Shane Duffy.

But despite not getting a win, the Rovers boss was still pleased with his side’s efforts.

“I thought it was a great workout again,” he said.

"We knew it would be a tough game, it always is when you’re playing local teams, but the lads worked every so hard.

“We purposefully worked them really hard this week, with a game during the week and a really demanding day on Thursday.

“So we knew we’d be a bit heavy-legged in the first half probably, and that’s what happened.

In the second half we totally controlled the game, as we’d expect to do.”

Coyle, who took over followed Paul Lambert’s decision to quit before the end of last season, had Lambert predecessor Gary Bowyer in the opposite dugout, which he felt gave ‘added spice’ to the warm-up clash.

He added: “Credit Blackpool, I think they did really well.

“With Gary here now, there was always going to be a bit of added spice. There was no doubt he’d got them fired up, which was great because it’s the kind of test you want.

“So overall I was delighted with it.

“We go behind a wee bit unluckily with a deflection, but then Ben pops up, probably with a similar deflection if the truth be told.

“In the second half we had numerous chances to get the goal, so there was a lot to be pleased about.

“The second period suggests more than the first, but the important thing is we got everybody the minutes that they need and we’ve done that again.”