Neil Critchley felt an opportunity slipped through Blackpool’s fingers following their 0-0 derby stalemate with Fleetwood at Bloomfield Road.

CJ Hamilton hit the post with a 66th-minute shot from six yards with only goalkeeper Alex Cairns to beat as the hosts failed to break through.

But Fleetwood are no pushovers and frustrated the Tangerines to record a third clean sheet in succession.

Head coach Critchley said: “It’s a point but my overriding feeling is that it should have been three.

“We want to turn these draws into wins because the league table will look a lot healthier for us.

“With the amount of shots and opportunities in and around the final third, I am disappointed we didn’t win the game.

“We were the team in the ascendancy pushing forward, trying to get that goal. Unfortunately, our quality and decision making in and around the goal has not won us the game.

“I thought it would be a hard-fought game but if any team should have won that game, it was us.

“We edged the first half and in the second half we had total control of the game. But we need to score one of those chances.

“If you do, you break their resolve and you force them to come out and that’s when you make it 1-0, 2-0, 3-0.”

Fleetwood, undefeated in five games, have never won at Bloomfield Road but were good value for their point.

Ged Garner’s 25-yard drive at the start of the second half forced Chris Maxwell into a rare save.

Midfielder Sam Finley’s excellent pass provided Kyle Vassell with a chance after 68 minutes but Town’s midweek match winner against Gillingham missed the target.

Fleetwood boss Simon Grayson said: “If you don’t win the game, the next best thing is a draw. We knew it was going to be a tough game so you have to make sure you are competitive and win tackles.

“Did we do that? Yes, I think we did. Did we play as well as we can when we had possession of the ball? Probably not really. We were a bit slack and gave it away too cheaply.

“But if you don’t win in, you battle and scrap to make sure you don’t lose it.

“Both teams didn’t create loads of chances. I said at half-time the middle of the pitch had been very competitive as you would expect in a local derby.

“At the top end of the pitch we didn’t pass the ball as well as we can do.

“We were not as patient as we had been in the last few weeks. Defensively though we limited them to a few opportunities.”