Sky Bet Championship: Blackpool grab hard-fought 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers

Grant Hall cancelled out an earlier Jordan Rhodes effort as Blackpool snatched a 1-1 draw at Sky Bet Championship promotion hopefuls Blackburn on Saturday.

Rovers demolished Premier League opponents Stoke in the fifth round of the FA Cup here seven days ago, yet they found the Sky Bet Championship basement dwellers a far trickier nut to crack.

It looked as though a comfortable afternoon was in the offing for Gary Bowyer's side after Jordan Rhodes' 14th-minute finish put them ahead.

However, Seasiders loanee Grant Hall levelled before the break and he really should have given them a half-time lead when firing into the side netting from close range, after Jamie O'Hara's free-kick had been pushed onto the post.

Rudy Gestede twice hit the crossbar in the second period as the hosts probed but a winner proved elusive as Blackburn failed to win for the first time in five home contests.

Everything appeared to be going to plan for Rovers early on when Rhodes converted their first effort on target.

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Craig Conway drilled a left-wing cross along the ground and an unmarked Rhodes applied the simple finish for his 12th goal of the season.

Yet even though the hosts continued to dominate both possession and territory, the floodgates never opened.

Goalkeeper Joe Lewis darted out to stop Matt Kilgallon and then Tommy Spurr and the former should have then done better with a miscued volley after Blackpool left him all alone from Tom Cairney's free-kick.

Rhodes volleyed wide from long range too and the hosts' inability to add to their advantage proved costly three minutes before the break.

During a rare foray forward the Seasiders levelled through Tottenham loanee Hall, who directed a header beyond Jason Steele after O'Hara's free-kick had been initially nodded on by Peter Clarke.

And Lee Clark's men almost stole a half-time lead too. Another O'Hara free-kick troubled Steele and after the former Boro stopper had pushed the ball onto the post, Hall was on hand to get the rebound, yet the Blackpool goalscorer somehow fired into the side netting from less than six yards out.

It was no surprise to see Blackburn resume the second half on top, though, Rhodes' overhead kick drifting wide and Gestede twice hitting the woodwork with glancing headers.

However, Gestede was then surprisingly withdrawn for last weekend's hat-trick hero Josh King, the jet-heeled forward posing an altogether different threat to the Blackpool defence.

Rovers had three chances in the dying throes but Lewis repelled Rhodes' volley on the turn, substitute Chris Brown steered an effort wide and ex-Blackpool defender Alex Baptiste headed wide as the visitors claimed a rare away point.