Mirco makes a point for Leeds United

Mirco Antenucci’s tenth goal of the season earned Leeds United a comeback draw at relegation-bound Blackpool.
Mirco AntenucciMirco Antenucci
Mirco Antenucci

Neil Redfearn’s men were behind at half-time on a dreadful Bloomfield Road pitch, but hit back to deservedly bring a point back over the Pennines and could have got all three but for a controversially disallowed effort in added time.

Redfearn went with an unchanged line-up from the midweek win at Fulham, although Rudy Austin was back from injury and was put on the bench.

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Leeds managed to get the first shot in with Luke Murphy firing wide from distance.

Blackpool went on to have the better of the first half, possession and territory-wise, but United were a threat on the break and Sam Byram went close with a volley after good work by Murphy.

At the other end, Marco Silvestri had to make his first save to deny Gary Madine.

Charlie Taylor was then the next to go close for Leeds as he found himself one-on-one with keeper Joe Lewis only to see the home custodian come out on top.

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But it was Blackpool who went ahead just before half-time when Andrea Orlandi’s free-kick came back off the post and fell kindly for Madine to put the hosts in front.

Early in the second half ex-Leeds defender Darren O’Dea headed a chance over for Blackpool and Silvestri saved another of Orlandi’s free-kicks.

Leeds boss Redfearn responded by making changes, putting on Steve Morison and Antenucci for Billy Sharp and Alex Mowatt, who had not been able to make any impact.

The Whites improved, but Anteucci fired a volley over from Gaetano Berardi’s cross.

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The Italian striker made no mistake soon after, however, when he cleverly lifted the ball over the onrushing Lewis to make it 1-1.

Silvestri kept the game level with a save from Miles Addison, but it was Leeds looking to win the game in the closing stages.

Antenucci sent another lob over and Morison was crowded out inside the area as the ball again refused to drop kindly for him to end his goal drought.

Leeds briefly thought they had come up with a winner as the game went into seven minutes of added time as Giuseppe Bellusci put the ball in the net from Berardi’s cross only to see his effort ruled out for a foul in the build-up that mystified visiting fans.

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Blackpool could also have nicked it when Silvestri saved Orlandi’s free-kick, but the game ended 1-1 with United staying in 12th place in the Championship table.

Match facts

Blackpool 1

(Madine 44)

(Antenucci 62).

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Sky Bet Championship

Attendance: 11,688

Blackpool: Lewis, Hall, Clarke, O’Dea, Dunne, Cubero, Addison, Perkins, Orlandi, Jacobs, Madine.

Leeds: Silvestri, Wootton, Bellusci, Bamba, Berardi, Byram, Murphy, Cook, Mowatt (Antenucci 54), C Taylor (Doukara 75), Sharp (Morison 54).

Referee: S Duncan