April 11 Walsall 0-1 AFC Bournemouth Att: 4613

Last updated : 13 April 2006 By Richard Barker
Walsall set out to deny us time on the ball in all areas of the field, and were not averse to putting in the occasional robust challenge to discourage anyone from dwelling on the ball for too long. This approach worked for a while, but once our midfield settled into their game the home team was out-thought and out-manoeuvred for long spells as Bournemouth put on a display of passing and movement more in keeping with our early season form.

When Roper failed to realise that robust challenges aren't such a good idea in your own penalty area and conceded a penalty with a tackle on Cooke so late that the ball was barely in the same post-code, Hayter had an early chance to give us the advantage. However, the penalty lacked his usual accuracy and was comfortably saved by Oakes diving to his left.

Fortunately he didn't have long to dwell on his miss. You would think that “MARK HAYTER” is pretty high on the list of things to do at set pieces for our opponents, but for the third game running James got away from his man, side-footing Foley's well delivered free-kick in from close range in the 17th minute.

Walsall's only real chance of a one-sided first half came when Stewart was unable to hold an awkwardly bouncing shot that reared up and struck him in the chest, but Claridge blazed the rebound over the bar under pressure from Young. A second goal would have been a fair reflection of the play, but Oakes denied Fletcher with a spectacular one-handed save following a corner late in the half.

HT 0-1

Walsall had evidently been invited to try a little harder (or words to that effect) at half-time, and the second half could not have been more of a contrast to the first as we were seemingly unable to maintain possession for more than a couple of passes. The ball seemed to spend a lot of time bouncing around in our penalty area with neither side able to gain control and do anything very constructive.

It did not make for comfortable viewing from the far end, but for all their territorial advantage Walsall only managed two efforts on target: a free kick curled over the wall by Keats in the opening minutes of the half which Stewart did brilliantly to turn around the post; and a header from a corner which was cleared off the line by Purches with the Walsall players claiming that it had gone in, an opinion fortunately not shared by the linesman.

Foley had Bournemouth's only noteworthy effort of the half, a fierce cross-shot just off target.

With 10 minutes to go Walsall took off the hard-working Claridge, earning the manager a rousing chorus of “You don't know what you're doing” from the home fans. Young had come out on top in the battle of the veterans, but it had been a tough contest and the appreciation shown for Claridge as he went off was not confined to the Walsall fans.

The four minutes of added time were negotiated with few alarms, Broadhurst replacing the industrious Cooke to waste a little time and provide some extra defensive insurance.

News of defeats for Hartlepool and Swindon meant that this result leaves us all but mathematically assured of third division football for yet another season, although Sean will need to be at his shrewdest in the free-agent market if a similar struggle is to be avoided next term.

Could easily go to Stewart or Young who maintained the high standards they have set all season, but I'm going to give it to Stephen Cooke, who hasn't had the best of seasons but tonight was assured on the ball and hard-working when not in possession.


AFCB: Stewart, Cooper, Young, Howe, Purches, Cooke, Foley, Browning, O'Connor, Hayter, Fletcher
Subs: Pitman, Tindall, Rix, Hart (for Purches, 84), Broadhurst (for Cooke, 89)


Richard Barker, Leyton