Ollie laments Seasiders' bad luck

Ollie laments Seasiders' bad luck

Published Apr. 24, 2011 1:43 p.m. ET

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway bemoaned his side's fortune despite claiming a 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle with a contentious equaliser.

DJ Campbell was awarded a goal when his near-post flick was adjudged to have crossed the line in the 32nd minute of a frantic Premier League clash at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

That goal, given before Luis Enrique headed clear, cancelled out a 17th-minute strike from Peter Lovenkrands and Blackpool felt they should have had more with three penalty claims going against them.

They had a strong case in two of them with Tim Krul escaping punishment after appearing to bring down Campbell and Danny Simpson adjudged not to have handled deliberately after stumbling.

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Blackpool, who also hit the post through Charlie Adam, have won just once in 14 games and remain in the thick of the relegation battle, but Holloway is upbeat.

He said: "We should have had two penalties, probably three.

"I haven't seen them again yet but I know what I saw and I know how I feel.

"I was screaming and shouting at the ref because I thought it was going to be one of those games again where we don't get something that is blatantly obvious that we deserved.

"Is there any chance of whoever is governing things up there giving us a bit of a break?

"It looked like it was going to be another one of those where we had a terrific start, took the game to them, got in their faces and then they got an innocuous shot and it goes in.

"I know he struck it well but that was the first shot and probably one of the only shots they had.

"But we needed a reaction and got one and I am delighted for the lads.

"That will give the fans some belief we can get out of this and hopefully lift the doom and gloom. That is more like my team."

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was unhappy with the award of the equaliser.

Replays of the incident were inconclusive and Pardew did not believe referee Martin Atkinson or his assistant could have been convinced.

He said: "The goal was disappointing because I think you have got to be beyond doubt if you are going to give that.

"Seeing it again it certainly doesn't look like that.

"If you are 40 yards away you have got to be beyond doubt it is over the line and it doesn't look like that to me.

"Having said that, they deserved a goal for their play and their intensity. They gave us a lot of problems.

"It was a tough game and we were lucky we scored because we looked a little flat.

"We looked tired, mentally and physically, in the first half.

"We were sloppy and created problems for ourselves.

"If it was a boxing match you'd have to give it to Blackpool but it was a football match and our resilience and quality got us a point."

The draw at least took Newcastle to 41 points and Pardew is confident now he can start planning for another season in the top flight.

He said: "I think we are safe now, looking at results today. Our motivation now is a top-10 finish."

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