Holloway - A missed opportunity

Holloway: Missed opportunity

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Ian Holloway was left to rue a missed opportunity after Blackpool were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lancashire rivals Preston North End.

Billy Clarke gave Blackpool a dream start by scoring after just 22 seconds, but Ross Wallace's free-kick before half-time earned Preston a point.

Though the result maintains the Seasiders' unbeaten record at Bloomfield Road this season, Holloway felt his team had enough chances to secure a win which would have lifted his side up to fourth in the table.

The Blackpool boss was also disappointed with the award of the free-kick which led to Preston's equaliser, feeling there was a foul on one of his players earlier in the move.

"On the balance of play I think so," Holloway told Sky Sports when asked if it was a missed opportunity.

"It's very disappointing, they scored a fantastic free-kick, but I felt my centre-half just in the move before that was blatantly fouled, and the free-kick the ref gave I couldn't see anything in it.

"You can't afford to miss chances like we did. We created a few and missed a few."

Clarke praise

Holloway also praised promising striker Clarke, who was scoring for just the second time since joining the club from Ipswich Town last summer.

"He's been absolutely electric, he was very unlucky last week and he deserved his man of the match," added the Blackpool chief.

"He's growing all the time in his belief in his self. It was a fantastic strike and he does that day in, day out in training, so well done."

The match was Holloway's first taste of a Lancashire derby and he paid tribute to the Preston fans for their part in the minute's applause to respect the recent passing of Ray Charnley, who played for both clubs.

Holloway said: "That's what these people are like up here. There was fantastic respect from the Preston fans for our player who passed away.

"That's what sport's all about. You're a credit to your football club."