Burnley 3-3 Blackpool: Tangerines launch comeback to earn draw in fierce encounter at Turf Moor

Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Burnley and Blackpool at Turf Moor as the Tangerines launched a late comeback to snatch a point in a fierce encounter on Saturday afternoon.

Saturday 20 August 2022 18:55, UK

Blackpool staged a spirited second-half comeback to secure a 3-3 draw at Burnley after falling 3-1 behind at Turf Moor where both teams finished the game with 10 men.

Sonny Carey and Ian Maatsen were both red-carded by referee Keith Stroud in the 85th minute as a thrilling Lancashire derby boiled over.

Carey was dismissed for a cynical late trip on Maatsen, who retaliated by pushing the Blackpool defender in the back - an incident that provoked an ugly melee with several players involved.

It was Burnley's third successive home draw and manager Vincent Kompany will be frustrated that they threw away their two-goal advantage after a dominant first half when Nathan Tella, on loan from Southampton for the season, scored twice on his first start.

Josh Brownill gave the Clarets a third-minute lead with an unstoppable shot. Jay Rodriguez flicked Taylor Harwood-Bellis' long ball into Brownhill's path and the midfielder struck a first-time right-foot shot into the top corner from 25 yards for his second goal of the season.

Harwood-Bellis then provided the lofted through pass to set up Tella for his first after 11 minutes. The winger controlled the ball on his chest and held off the challenge of Jordan Gabriel to slide a shot past Daniel Grimshaw.

Burnley's slick passing and high pressing were impressive but they were guilty of over-playing when they gifted Blackpool their first goal after 20 minutes.

Goalkeeper Ari Muric played an ill-advised ball to Josh Cullen on the edge of the penalty area and he was dispossessed by Theo Corbeanu, who struck his shot calmly past Muric.

Blackpool should have been level after 29 minutes when Shane Lavery sent a good chance well wide after running in behind Burnley's defence to connect with Dominic Thompson's deep cross.

But Tella restored Burnley's two-goal advantage with his second goal after 33 minutes.

Lavery intercepted Brownhill's through pass with a touch back to Gabriel, but he stumbled before he could clear the ball - leaving the alert Tella to cut inside Marvin Ekpiteta and curl a shot into the top corner with the aid of a slight deflection off the Blackpool defender.

Blackpool came back strongly in the second half. Lavery atoned for his first-half miss by scoring at the near post from Gabriel's cut-back.

Then three minutes later Jerry Yates tapped home after being set up by Kenny Dougall to pull Michael Appleton's team deservedly level and set up a tense finish.

Both teams went for the winner but a fiercely competitive contest was marred when Carey and Maatsen saw red.

What the managers said...

Burnley's Vincent Kompany: "The first half was terrific but we lost our way in the second half. We were just a little bit overwhelmed by our own doing. It was in line with our previous performances this season but this time we've had the magic of goals. Introducing Tella went well and he will get more goals this season. But then not everything went to plan and we've got to learn lessons.

"I've got to say that when we went down to 10 men we got more momentum. It was a shame because he's an important player for us. I will talk to him but we must remember he got booted off the pitch - it was a shin-high tackle. You are allowed a reaction but when you start putting your hands on someone you're in trouble. What Ian did was not dangerous - it was just an error from a young player."

Blackpool's Michael Appleton: "I think we should have won - there is no doubt about that. I'd be surprised if even the most ardent Burnley fan would disagree with that. We were poor in the first 10 minutes and that is something we need to address but once we had dusted ourselves down, the way we responded was a real credit to the players and made me proud.

"We could have won three or four games with the amount of chances we created - good chances as well, not half-chances. And there's a bit of frustration in the dressing room among the players because they knew they had them on the ropes."