Blackpool's derby against Preston North End a pivotal moment in time for Michael Appleton

Mastermind a much-needed victory against Blackpool’s fierce rivals and Wednesday night’s stinker against Hull City will be forgotten about in an instant.

Lose and those dissenting voices, which have been kept relatively quiet since the return from the international break, will begin to rear their head again, especially on social media.

Football is a fickle business, we all know that. Prior to Wednesday night’s game, optimism was beginning to flow back among the supporters who were rightfully encouraged by the displays against Norwich City, Sunderland and Watford and Sheffield United.

But that progress was stopped in its tracks in midweek with a worrying display and result against a struggling Hull side that had lost seven of their last eight games coming into the fixture.

A worrying night

It wasn’t necessarily the result that agitated me the most, as frustrating as it was. Defeats will happen in the Championship. But it was the nature of it that startled me. Blackpool were so far off the pace it was untrue.