BLACKPOOL 0

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0

ACCRINGTON Stanley’s first competitive trip to Bloomfield Road had a little bit of everything – except a goal.

The Reds drew 0-0 with fellow play-off hopefuls Blackpool in a game which saw the home side miss a penalty and Stanley denied a late spot-kick of their own.

John Coleman’s side had the first sight of goal to the delight of their boisterous travelling support, with Sean McConville’s free-kick met by Billy Kee who headed wide of the target unopposed.

In a lively opening former Stanley man Tom Aldred went close at the other end, powering a header wide of the right-hand post from Jack Payne’s corner.

Clear openings were in short supply but with both teams committed to getting the ball down there was plenty to admire as they battled to get the upper hand.

Blackpool’s front two of Kyle Vassell and Nathan Delfouneso kept the Stanley defence on their toes, with a penalty appeal turned down and a string of corners repelled.

The high tempo meant plenty of frantic exchanges, with Harvey Rodgers firing over for the Reds and Kee seeing a volley deflected wide after good work from Matty Pearson.

The Seasiders should have been in front eight minutes before the break when they counter-attacked from a Stanley corner and Colin Daniel found Bright Osayi-Samuel unopposed in the area, only for the young winger to inexplicably fire wide.

In response, Stanley’s Jordan Clark found McConville at the far post but he could only stab wide of the target.

After the interval things went up a notch, with Neil Danns denied a penalty when he went down in the box from the first attack after the restart.

And the drama continued immediately, as Pearson blasted a shot beyond Sam Slocombe in the Blackpool goal, only for Aldred to clear off the line.

The game set into the familiar template thereafter with plenty of energy and endeavour and neither goalkeeper unduly tested.

Vassell volleyed well over for the Seasiders before Kee diverted a McConville cross and Pearson and Omar Beckles were unable to capitalise on a corner.

Blackpool were handed the opportunity to take the lead 15 minutes from the end when an aerial challenge between Payne and Seamus Conneely saw the Blackpool man tumble just inside the box and referee Mark Brown pointed to the spot. Vassell stepped up but Marek Rodak comfortably saved his low effort.

The home team had further appeals for a spot-kick turned down soon after when Mark Hughes blocked a low effort inside the area with his back and not a hand, according to Mr Brown.

The referee was then at the heart of it at the other end, with Pearson breaking from halfway and in to the Blackpool box.

Slocombe slid off his line and caught the midfielder. Brown put the whistle to his lips but then didn’t blow it, to Stanley’s sheer amazement.

Kee almost settled the matter with a fine late strike that flew just over, before Blackpool's Kelvin Mellor rattled the post with a header from a Jordan Flores delivery.

A point each isn’t what either side wanted, but it keeps Stanley unbeaten in 14 matches and their play-off hopes still alive.