Blackpool 1-1 Newcastle

Newcastle striker Lovenkrands scored the game’s opening goal with his left foot

Blackpool moved out of the drop zone but remain fearful of relegation after failing to get the win their play merited against Newcastle.

The Magpies led after 17 minutes when a basic error let Peter Lovenkrands zip in a fine, low shot from 20 yards out.

Soon after, though, DJ Campbell’s flick was adjudged to have crossed the line.

The hosts dominated possession but Charlie Adam’s shot hit a post in the second half before Gary Taylor-Fletcher headed a good chance just over the bar.

Gritty-but-attractive Blackpool could not have fought harder but manager Ian Holloway bemoaned various unrewarded penalty appeals and the Tangerines continue to battle to avoid the drop in their first season in the top flight for 39 years.

The Seasiders’ admirable tendency to play attractive, attacking football has hugely endeared them to neutrals and, with five matches to save their season, they revived that spirit after recent wobbles.

Newcastle came into the match having reached the 40 points usually considered enough to avoid relegation with a fine 0-0 draw against runaway leaders Manchester United on Tuesday, and had the first effort within seconds of an open encounter.

Energetic Spanish left-back Jose Enrique broke into box from the left wing but, after turning well, his right-foot shot from a promising position limped weakly into the arms of Matt Gilks.

But Blackpool soon set about them with a determined show of intent.

Their first close call – in a first half peppered with them -came when Campbell nicked the ball past Mike Williamson in the box but referee Martin Atkinson waved away vociferous penalty appeals.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher, drifting enigmatically on the right, then lashed a low shot just wide with Tim Krul scrambling across his goal after the visitors casually lost the ball in midfield.

Though Blackpool had most of the ball, Newcastle threatened on the break.

Shola Ameobi should have returned a pass from Lovenkrands in the box after being set free on a breakaway for what would have been a simple finish but slipped at the crucial moment.

And after finding himself on the floor once again during another key move, Ameobi quickly changed his boots on what looked like a greasy surface.

Blackpool nearly took the lead after 15 minutes when Stephen Crainey carved out a superb teasing ball across the face of Newcastle’s goal but, stretching every sinew, Taylor-Fletcher could not connect.

Soon after, the Magpies capitalised on a misunderstanding between playmaking captain Adam – back from a recent injury – and Crainey, which allowed Joey Barton to feed a simple pass into the path of Lovenkrands.

The Dutchman cleverly let the ball run across his body and, in plenty of space, clinically guided a left-footer into the corner of Gilks’ goal.

Initially, Blackpool looked deflated after gifting the opposition a goal.

But, with the Bloomfield Road PA announcer urging the home fans to “make some noise in here”, the home side soon recovered their attacking poise.

Adam hit an intentionally low corner towards Campbell but he could only swipe at thin air before Matt Phillips, who started in place of Luke Varney in attack, then skied the ball high over the bar into the frustrated crowd.

With the tempo intense, Krul charged sharply off his line to clear from the ever-alert Campbell.

Penalty appeals were waved away after the keeper clattered into the Blackpool forward when he latched onto a woeful pass across Newcastle’s own goal from Jose Enrique.

Yet Campbell eventually made his mark just after the half-hour mark.

The former non-league striker’s flick from a fierce Adam corner was only feint but it was enough to send the ball hurtling past Krul and – in the eyes of the linesman – across the line, despite Jose Enrique’s headed clearance.

Campbell’s instinctive back-heel then released centre-back Ian Evatt in the penalty area and, after his cross was palmed away by Krul, once again Phillips hit a wild shot high and wide.

At the end of a frenetic first half, Alex Baptiste had a brilliant snap-shot cleared off the line by the overworked Jose Enrique before Campbell found the side-netting with a back-post header from just three yards after a fine cross from Phillips.

The pace did not relent after the break and, after Ameobi hit a curling left-footer just over the top corner, it was all Blackpool.

Adam then curled a cunning free-kick past the wall but just wide of Krul’s goal as the hosts pushed hard for a breakthrough.

Minutes later, Adam stepped aside from dead-ball duties for once.

Former Oldham full-back Neal Eardley’s well-executed right-foot shot from a similarly placed free-kick span just over the bar.

Welsh midfielder David Vaughan – inspirational on his return from injury – embarked upon a fine forage down the left wing but his dangerous cross went untouched as it screeched across the goal.

Taylor-Fletcher then headed Crainey’s pacy cross onto the roof of the net when he should have scored before Adam surged into the box to crack a low shot past Krul but, crucially, against the post.

Keith Southern sliced a volley over the bar after a scramble in the box but with Newcastle sitting deep as they looked to settle for a priceless point that all but guarantees their own safety, tiring Blackpool eventually ran out of ideas.