April 15 AFC Bournemouth 1-1 Huddersfield Town Att: 7406

Last updated : 17 April 2006 By Richard Butler
We started confidently if a little light in central midfield as Foley and Cooke filled those two berths. However, it soon became apparent that we were to be given the run-around by a fluent promotion-chasing Huddersfield team obviously looking for 3 points.

Attack after attack ensued with the ball coming back into our half with monotonous regularity. This dreaded policy of pulling everyone back may or may not be effective but what it does guarantee is the ball coming back at us relentlessly. Shots just sailing over the bar, acrobatic bicycle kicks, firm headers just wide. At the half hour mark the goal attempts count was embarrassing.  

AFCB's best chance had come when Cooke, picking up a neat flick from Fletch, controlled it, nicked it past a defender and just as he was going to pull the trigger, was brilliantly dispossessed by Hudson.  

Browning had been harshly booked after only 15 mins so he had to tread very carefully which was not the Manager's original plan, what with the mighty Cooke & Foley complementing him in midfield.

But wait, a flying pig…a rareness of rarities…what did we witness?   . a left foot Fletcher piledriver ..back of the net! ..well, actually it was more a well-taken curled snapshot that somehow managed to sneak under the keeper's flailing body. But they count, and against the run of play. 1-0 to The Cherries. (35 mins).

5 mins later and a superbly angled ball from Cooke picking out Hayter, who perhaps by his standards, could have done better. The over-fussy, and at times bizarre Ref. blew for halftime.

HT: 1-0

Second half started with the West Yorkshiremen still in charge with goal attempts from Schofield and Taylor-Fletcher. Worthington was then booked for a trip on Browning. There followed a vibrant period of play with both sides looking for a win.

Hayter and Purches were both dispossessed when nearly through but the real defensive heroics were being dealt out by our own Horse the Younger. Never mind Teddy Sheringham, this man just gets better and better with age! Great technique and timing coupled with superb commitment and heart means Young gets better and better. Dream a little and you could easily imagine this man playing at the same level as his brother Luke! Two of his saving tackles today were ‘worth the admission alone' as they say. Relegation with this man at the back and Hayter at the front?  Never!

Fletcher's header nearly made it 2-0 but soon after the see-saw nature of the football went unfavourably for us. Stewart, who hadn't really had to make a solid save all day, failed cut out an easy cross and Taylor-Fletcher had an easy tap in. Cue delirium from the massive (and noisy) travelling fans.

Surprisingly on 70 mins we went for the win. Pitman and Rodrigues replaced Cooke and Foley to bring about a 20 minute four-attacker onslaught to the opponents goal. Pitman who was particularly impressive caused problems and Danny too looked good. The pressure so nearly paid off when Eddie Howe powered a header in from a Cooper corner only for Rachubka to deny him with a great save.

At the end, a fair amount of satisfaction as we finished in the ascendancy after another good performance against a strong team, a team that would have probably rolled us over only a few weeks back.

Neil Young.


AFCB: Stewart, Purches, Young, Howe, O'Connor, Browning, Cooper, Foley, Cooke, Fletcher, Hayter
Subs: Hart, Pitman (on for Cooke, 76), Broadhurst, Rix, Rodrigues (on for Foley, 76)


Richard Butler, Chertsey