Ian Holloway confident Blackpool can still avoid relegation after drawing with Newcastle

Blackpool Manager Ian Holloway (Getty Images)

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Blackpool manager Ian Holloway remains adamant that his team can surprise people and stay in the Premier League this season.

Holloway’s men came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with Newcastle to keep them out of the relegation zone on goal difference and the Seasiders manager believes his team will fight to the very end.

“So people who want to write us off can do it at their peril because we still believe we have got one hell of a fight on our hands and one hell of a chance to stay at this level,” he told Sky Sports.

“I thought my lads were absolutely fantastic today and they need to be to the very last game and the last whistle goes, we’ve got to set that as our benchmark.

“I thought we were terrific. They scored against the run of play. One shot it goes in but we didn’t flinch, we carried on and kept going and kept going and that’s the best we’ve played for months.”

Holloway felt his team should have been awarded two clear penalties in the game and was disappointed they didn’t get the decisions.

“I thought we had two clear penalties, that’s why I was shouting and screaming at the fourth official,” he added.

“I didn’t mean to but it’s an emotional day and emotional game but today there was some strange things given and some things that didn’t go our way. I cannot believe it.

“It can’t be week in week out that we don’t get decisions that other people do.”

Holloway was also disappointed with the amount of time that was added on at the end of the game, believing that they should have had more time.

He said: “And how we can have three minutes of extra time there when Ameobi’s taken that on his own?

“Even Alan Pardew’s telling him to walk a bit quicker when substituted I thought it was Easter Monday by the time he got to the bench. I thought he had a zimmer frame that’s how slow he was walking and the referee should have added a bit more time than that.”