Match ends, Blackpool 1, Doncaster Rovers 1.
BlackpoolBlackpool1DoncasterDoncaster Rovers1
Billy Sharp's late equaliser denied Barry Ferguson a first win in caretaker charge of Blackpool as they shared the points at home to Doncaster Rovers.
Andy Halliday looked to have given the home side victory when he prodded home from close range on his debut.
But substitute striker Sharp, on-loan from Southampton and in his third spell with Rovers, headed home David Cotterill's free-kick.
The draw lifts Doncaster out of the Championship's relegation zone.
Ferguson, 35, has been in temporary control at Bloomfield Road following Paul Ince's dismissal on Tuesday and he saw his side start brightly as they looked to stem a run of nine defeats from their last 10 games.
A lofted pass from Isaiah Osbourne set Michael Chopra free in behind the visitors' defence but the striker could only fire straight at the advancing Ross Turnbull.
With the next attack the hosts carved out another good opening. Steven Davies sent a delivery across the face of the goal from the left, only for Chopra to somehow miss the ball six yards out.
The visitors were largely redundant in an attacking sense, but on the stroke of half-time another James Coppinger delivery from the right found Sharp and his header flew narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
There was still time for one final moment of goalmouth action and unsurprisingly it again went the way of the home side. Chris Basham rose highest to meet Nathan Eccleston's corner-kick at the near post but the midfielder could only head wide when he should have instead found the back of the net.
Slowly, Doncaster began to turn the tide and Coppinger forced Matt Gilks into making two decent saves - the first a low shot from the edge of the box after 63 minutes and the second a curling 20-yard effort the Blackpool keeper clawed away from the top right-hand corner.
Paul Dickov's side should have taken the lead when a lofted Paul Keegan pass found Chris Brown inside the area, only for the striker to blaze over the bar.
But just as the visitors looked to have taken control, a hopeful ball into the box by Jack Robinson ended up at the feet of Davies, and although he could not connect with his shot, substitute Halliday, on loan from Middlesbrough, prodded home from close range to give Blackpool the lead.
Ferguson's side looked to have snatched victory but, with the clock ticking down, Sharp got the faintest of touches on a Cotterill free-kick to give Doncaster a share of the spoils.
Blackpool caretaker manager Barry Ferguson on his first match in charge:
"I loved every minute of it - you could see that on the sidelines. I'm just gutted for the boys because they gave me absolutely everything out there.
"I was nervous when I woke up. It was a mixture of emotions - I was nervous and excited.
"I've decided that if I take over [permanently] then I'll hang up my boots, it wasn't difficult not to pick myself today."
Doncaster Rovers manager Paul Dickov:
"It looks as though he [Billy Sharp] nicked it and that's what he's been brought here for.
"We played better and created more chances when we played Blackburn up here a few weeks ago and they beat us 1-0.
"But we've got a fox-in-the-box striker who can score you goals and today he's managed to nick us a point.
"I feel given the quality of our delivery and the size of the team we should score more goals from set-pieces and we managed to do that today."
Line-ups
Blackpool
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Gilks
- 2McMahonBooked at 88mins
- 3Robinson
- 18Osbourne
- 6Broadfoot
- 20Cathcart
- 17Basham
- 4Perkins
- 8ChopraSubstituted forHallidayat 66'minutes
- 9DaviesSubstituted forTysonat 80'minutes
- 23EcclestonSubstituted forGoodwillieat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Tyson
- 13Warner
- 14Halliday
- 22Caton
- 25Goodwillie
- 28Dodd
- 31Martínez Cervera
Doncaster
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Turnbull
- 17Tamas
- 3Husband
- 19Wellens
- 14KhumaloBooked at 3mins
- 20Méité
- 7DuffySubstituted forCotterillat 82'minutes
- 18Keegan
- 10Sharp
- 9Brown
- 26Coppinger
Substitutes
- 2Quinn
- 4Furman
- 11Cotterill
- 13Maxted
- 21De Val Fernandez
- 30Peterson
- 31Stevens
- Referee:
- David Coote
- Attendance:
- 13,468
Match Stats
Home TeamBlackpoolAway TeamDoncaster
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away4
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Blackpool 1, Doncaster Rovers 1.
Post update
Dangerous play by Richard Wellens (Doncaster Rovers).
Post update
Chris Basham (Blackpool) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kirk Broadfoot (Blackpool) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Nathan Tyson (Blackpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jack Robinson.
Post update
Attempt missed. Andrew Halliday (Blackpool) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by David Perkins.
Booking
Anthony McMahon (Blackpool) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
David Cotterill (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Anthony McMahon (Blackpool).
Post update
Billy Sharp (Doncaster Rovers) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by David Cotterill with a cross.
Goal!
Goal! Blackpool 1, Doncaster Rovers 1. Billy Sharp (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by David Cotterill following a set piece situation.
Post update
James Husband (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Anthony McMahon (Blackpool).
Post update
Offside, Blackpool. David Perkins tries a through ball, but Nathan Tyson is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. David Cotterill replaces Mark Duffy.
Post update
Bongani Khumalo (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Chris Basham (Blackpool).
Substitution
Substitution, Blackpool. Nathan Tyson replaces Steve Davies.
Post update
Offside, Blackpool. Anthony McMahon tries a through ball, but David Goodwillie is caught offside.
