Blackpool wanted to “try and play” on lack of confidence in Charlton Athletic ranks

Neil Critchley has revealed part of Blackpool’s game plan was to take advantage of Charlton’s lack of confidence.

The Seasiders came away with a 3-0 victory in SE7 on an afternoon which went badly wrong for the hosts.

Charlton had Darren Pratley and Chuks Aneke dismissed in the second half but were already trailing by two goals at that stage.

The South London club dropped to 12th in the League One table and need a momentous turnaround in form to fashion a play-off challenge.

Blackpool manager Critchley was still prepared to pick out some areas his Blackpool team could have improved on as they moved a place below their opponents – but they have four matches in hand.

“We could’ve kept the ball a bit better in the second half when they were playing with 10 men – used the ball better and created more chances.

“We’d have taken that before the game, scoring three goals and keeping a clean sheet. It’s three points, it keeps our run going and keeps out momentum going.

“They are not in a great moment themselves at this moment in time. They are struggling for a little bit of confidence and form. We wanted to try and play on that a little bit.

“We were the team in the ascendency – pushing forward and pressing forward, keeping the ball away from the goal, forcing them backwards and then playing forwards when we got the ball and putting them under pressure.

“Because of that we got a penalty, a lovely little through ball and a good run off the centre-half. Then Matty [Virtue-Thick] has strode forward from the middle of the pitch and hit a fantastic shot. We were excellent. But it’s just three points and we move on to Tuesday now.”

Critchley felt his side were full value for the three points – and that red cards for Pratley and Aneke did not influence the outcome of the fixture in SE7.

He told the Blackpool Gazette: “I said to the players at the end of the game, the way the game petered out at the end when they’re down to 10 and nine men and we were keeping the ball, it’s easy to think the sending offs had a real bearing on the victory. It didn’t.”