Trundle, up to his tricks, won a corner - but it was headed over. Fletcher was through, but pulled down. Eventually the lino flagged; Anderton took the kick from just to the right of the "D" - low & well-saved. Their keeper had the same colours as the officials - is that legal? Young was yellowed for a clumsy tackle in midfield. From the free, the long strike was well tipped over, & the header from the corner went the same way. Then the tall Lawrence (T&T international) headed away for a corner on our left. Wilson trotted in from the pen-spot & headed to the keeper's left, high into the corner. Magnificent - 1-0, 22 mins.
Moss caught well, but Gowling went down, apparently winded. This allowed a drinks break. In open play, Cummings stayed behind the halfway line - little understanding with Summerfield & probably unsure of the latter's ability. McGoldrick was through; Hayter was free on his right but he shot - blocked. Apart from this, that pair were beginning to link well. By the 40-minute mark, Trundle had had barely a kick, so good were Young & Gowling. Then Moss went low to save well. Good applause at HT - 1-0.
Jacks' early corner was cleared well by Hayter & McGoldrick. Moss punched out another; staunch defending was needed. Summerfield cut in from the left & let fly - wide across the goal. Moss tipped a free onto the post; the follow-up netted but was ruled offside. As a riposte, Fletcher headed down & Anderton hit it wide. Jacks made a double substitution but Summerfield won a corner, as did Anderton. McGoldrick put in Summerfield who side-footed to the keeper. A Jacks defensive error let Hayter in on the right, to the by-line. With the keeper on-rushing, he calmly passed across to McGoldrick who tapped it in - 2-0, 60 min. Cruising!
Anderton (groin strain) was replaced, with great ovation, by Hollands on 63. Cummings was down, flat out, but back up soon. His return to the field was delayed by the ref until the ball was way back in Jacks' half. Purches had worked away solidly, but there was a bit too much down his side, even with Hayter tracking back. McGoldrick was twice through to nearly the 18-yard line from clearances. Pressure was maintained, with Moss's throw to Hollands sent on to Summerfield on the right. He cut in & shot just across goal - a big ooohhh moment.
Fletcher still pressed defenders into mistakes. At the 8 minute mark, Jacks were playing decent football but unable to press for long periods or construct much. Jacks fans were leaving as the carrot of 3 home points was dangling. Then they won a corner off a deflected shot - at which point Pitman replaced McGoldrick on 82. Lawrence headed against the post, the no.5 was not closed down & slammed it in left-footed from 25 yards. Not undeserved, but the first real defensive mistake. 2-1, 83. Then an oh-no moment; Broadhurst replaced Summerfield on 86. I thought back to last season - similar position, similar substitution. A scramble in the area, 3 central defenders with the marking regime unsettled; Moss spilled a shot & Trundle was first to the ball to nick it in. 2-2, 88. Absolutely thrown away.
Wilson & Broadhurst were yellowed for separate incidents, as tempers frayed & Cherries became desperate. Pitman rolled around with a defender & was also yellowed. Fletcher appeared in a 6-man back 4! This was crazy. Then one of the strangest sights. Their keeper takes a free halfway inside his half. He has 2 defenders near him, & Moss is in his area. The other 18 players line up 25 yards out across the pitch. Fortunately we hung on for a Desmond - 2-2 at FT.
This was 2 points tossed away carelessly. Poor substitutions - timing & personnel - for which Bond has to take responsibility. The existing back 4, plus Hollands & Wilson in front, was serving us well. Wilson had a decent game, fairly quiet apart from his goal & a slalom of trickery in their area. Not as good as Cork - or Surman from last season. Summerfield was so poor he'd not look out of place on England's left side… - definitely 1 loanee too far. Fletcher: yes, past it, but at least he pressurised defenders in our top third. Hayter was wasted on the right side, but what he did, he did well. The ref nearly lost it late on; things were getting tense before the first Jacks goal, & all but fell apart after the equaliser. Only 4 points margin; hopefully teams below us can cancel each other out. Do we really want to go to Vale needing a point?
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AFCB: Moss, Purches, Young, Gowling, Cummings, Summerfield, Anderton, Wilson, Hayter, McGoldrick, Fletcher
Subs: Stewart, Vokes, Hollands (on for Anderton, 63 mins), Pitman (for McGoldrick, 82 mins), Broadhurst (for Summerfield, 86 mins)
Pete Wicks, Bulford