Forest Reaction

Last updated : 30 April 2006 By Bournemouth Co-Ordinator
Richard O'Kelly was quoted on BBC Radio Solent after the match as saying: "The performance was magnificent. To come to a place like Nottingham Forest with 28,000 people here, the atmosphere was red hot, the playing surface is superb, the things at stake are quite high and then for our young side to go out there and play as they did in the first half and then to take the lead in the second half in the manner that we did, we were over the moon. In the second half the goalkeeper [Stewart] he had to earn his crust. He made one terrific save from Tyson off the overhead kick - everyone on bench thought he should have held! He pulled one off at Barnsley that was probably better than that. The keeper he has kept out [Neil Moss] is unfortunately injured after having an ankle operation but he's been an exceptional keeper in my time here. Gareth Stewart broke into the side and that is what he is about. He's a very agile keeper whose use of the ball is exceptional. He has got good feet and fancies himself as a centre forward as they all do and he just carries on doing what he does. Our game plan was to keep possession of the ball and attack Forest. It was well documented that we weren't pleased with the performance last week. There were people out there whose reputations as players were on the line as such because they hadn't performed last week. They answered the criticism that they got and they showed how they could play and what we are about".

The Forest caretaker boss, Ian McParland, was quoted after the match as saying: "Our passing is usually more fluid but I sensed that one or two of the lads were a little bit edgy and were trying to force their passes.<BR><BR> But in the second half, they hardly got into our half; we had lots of chances and their goalkeeper made a save from James Perch's free-kick that would grace the World Cup. We never gave them a sniff in the second half and although Bournemouth defended well, they also rode their luck. Our lads know they should have had three points. That's why they are disappointed because they are desperate to get into the play-offs. We won't approach that game any differently because we always go into games looking to win matches".