Blackpool 2-2 Huddersfield Town: Seasiders rescue point thanks to 90th-minute equaliser

Huddersfield Town missed the chance to move out of the Championship relegation places as they were forced to settle for a draw with fellow strugglers Blackpool.

Blackpool were reduced to 10 men when Gary Madine was sent off just before half-time for an apparent elbow on Tom Lees.

Josh Koroma thought he had won it with a curled strike after Andy Lyons had levelled with a volley, but Josh Bowler scored a 90th-minute leveller to rescue a point for the hosts.

Had Huddersfield held on during a frantic finale to claim a first win of 2023, they could have moved up to 21st, but they remain in 22nd place, a place and a point above Blackpool in 23rd.

The Seasiders were dealt a blow just before the half-hour mark as Charlie Goode was replaced by Andy Lyons after pulling up with a hamstring injury.

An eventful first half continued with Huddersfield’s opener, which came as Jack Rudoni whipped in a free-kick, which was then diverted by Curtis Nelson into the path of Pearson, who tapped in past Chris Maxwell.

There was a stoppage in play as Callum Connolly received treatment after colliding with Maxwell soon after, but things got worse for Blackpool deep into the first-half stoppage time that followed.

Madine was shown a straight red card for his elbow on Lees, with the Terriers centre-back down for an extended period in the aftermath.

Huddersfield struggled to use their player advantage, however, with Blackpool eventually hitting back, despite being down to 10 men, courtesy of Lyons’ sweet strike with the outside of his right boot from just inside the box.

Koroma’s impressive strike just four minutes later looked to have rescued a vital win for the visitors and ended a run of five games without a win, but Bowler struck past Huddersfield keeper Tomas Vaclik to snatch a late point.

Blackpool boss Mick McCarthy told BBC Radio Lancashire:

“They’ve had to work exceptionally hard. I thought the first half, there wasn’t anything in it. We gave away an awful goal, which has been a narrative throughout the season to be honest.

“I thought we had our chances. I said at half-time we’ll play a 4-2-3 and we won’t sit back and let them dictate it and the lads were brilliant. I think we deservedly got a point.

“It was a real stab in the heart to go 2-1 down after what we had done but we showed great resolve to get back again.”

On Gary Madine’s red card: “I thought it was the right thing to take Sonny [Carey] off. I had to apologise to him at half-time. Sometimes it’s that way when someone gets sent off. We’re going to be missing Gary so we need everyone else to step up.”

Huddersfield Town boss Mark Fotheringham told BBC Radio Leeds:

“We’re absolutely gutted, the dressing room is devastated. There’s been some harsh words said in there and rightly so.

“To get yourself in a situation to take home three points, it’s absolutely unacceptable. I’m lost for words to be honest.

“There’s a real collective anger in there. We all know that’s unacceptable and we’ve let the club down today.”