Blackpool are waiting on Jordan Rhodes’ fitness ahead of their EFL Trophy clash with Wanderers after the talisman was forced off against Charlton.

Rhodes was replaced by Shayne Lavery at the break as the Seasiders drew 1-1 with the Addicks over the weekend. Karamoko Dembele’s opener was cancelled out by Marvin Ekpiteta’s unfortunate own goal.

“He was uncomfortable at half time holding his ribs,” boss Neil Critchley told Blackpool Gazette.

“He took a whack in the first half. If you look at it, it is a clear penalty. He gets rugby tackled to the ground from a cross as he is about to head the ball.

“The player doesn’t look at the ball and just drags him down. He was in a little bit of pain so we felt it was the right thing not to put him at any more risk.

“He wanted stay on, but I didn’t want him to go out there and make it worse so I tried to protect him. When you have got some able deputy like Shayne Lavery, it makes that decision a little bit easier.”

Critchley was also asked about Dembele’s fitness and how it has been affected by Blackpool’s busy fixture list.

“Kaddy is fine,” he continued. "With the amount of games he has played, it can start to catch up with a little bit so we will think about the game on Tuesday and what we have got coming up.”

The Seasiders currently sit eighth in the table, three points off the play-off places, as they aim to bounce back from last season’s relegation from the Championship.

After the final whistle against Charlton, Critchley reflected: "We have played worse than that and have won games.

"We looked like a really good team. We made Charlton look ordinary at times and should’ve got the three points, but this could be an important one come the end of the season.

"We played very well in the first half. We played on the front foot with real purpose and created real opportunities - the only thing we were missing was a goal. I was saying to the staff at the break, ‘Is it going to be one of those days?’

"Jordan’s miss was unlike him, you would expect him to score. At the point when we did score, you just think we had the game in our grasp but we didn’t quite finish them off.

"It is disappointing not to get three points but if you don’t win, you have got to make sure you don’t lose.”