If a week is a long time in football, then a year is an eternity. This time last year, the Cherries were battling against relegation after being deducted 17 points for failing to come out of Administration with a CVA. In addition to this Sport 6 who bought the club, being charitable, failed to come up with the goods to take the Cherries forward. By a stroke of good fortune Eddie Howe was brought in as manager, and he, Jason, all the players and the backroom staff backed by passionate supporters, incredibly retained the club’s Football League status.
Last season the Quakers were in a Play Off position until the club owned and run by one person was no longer able to finance it, so it entered into Administration with a 10 points deduction.
This season with a very tight transfer embargo, the Cherries against all logic are tantalisingly close to automatic promotion. Darlo, who came out of Administration with a CVA are relegated down to the Conference despite winning at Rochdale. The dangers of having a one person investor are in stark contrast to a club where the now Chairman, Eddie Mitchell is striving to make the club financially viable on its own and not dependant on investors who hold the power strings. Yes, it is a roller coaster time for Cherries’ fans but we have a club on the rise.
And so to the game itself. The Quakers line up with an impressive run of away results, the latest being a 1 – 0 victory at Rochdale last Tuesday evening. The Cherries come looking for their sixth successive home win. Shaun Cooper, who in all the team press releases was still injured, comes into the centre of the defence, Marvin Bartley moving into midfield and Alan Connell to a seven man bench. Joe Partington sitting it out altogether. Is this a record?
Jason Pearce wins the toss and chooses to defend the Steve Fletcher Stand. The Quakers quickly settle into their 5 man midfield with Tadgh Purcell as a one man strike force. Within five minutes he makes his presence known by latching onto a weak Bradbury backpass, Jalal coming out of goal is lobbed and we all hold our breath watching the ball, but it teasingly goes wide of the far post. Whew!!!
It was a Hereford type goal all over again, but not quite! This is the Darlington game plan, frustrate and hope for a bit of luck to score. The Cherries do their best to help by not firing on all cylinders, difficulty in controlling the ball, passes being short, over hit or given to the opposition.
After 20 minutes Liam Feeney ends up in heap on the ground with a splattered face after coming off second best. He goes off to the touch line to be put together and returns to the field a new person. Taking on the full back, re-winning lost balls, really looking up for it. Was it a word from Eddie or getting his own back for getting a smack in the face. Whatever – it worked!
No toilet stop this game for Marvin, just a pit stop on the touch line to change his shorts – not sure if ref gave permission but ensured he left the game again with a yellow card, this time for a foul.
With chances going begging for the Cherries through a lack lustre first half, they came to life during the 3 minutes of injury time. Corners, crosses, shots blocked, headers off target all lead to sustained pressure on the Quakers goal, but no goal. We should have gone in with a lead
At the interval, would we live to regret not taking the chances which were there for the taking?
Two minutes into the second half, Pearce is booked for a mistimed tackle on Purcell as he is about to break through just inside the Bournemouth half, just to keep us on our toes. But ten minutes later joy, rapture, relief! Anton Robinson opens the scoring. Feeney on the left, launches a long cross into the penalty area, Brett and Fletch are there but Robinson comes in from the right sends a header straight at the goalie, just above his head. The ball powers between his arms and nestles in the back of the net. He will be disappointed not to have done better but that takes away the credit from Anton. The ball could have ballooned anywhere but he kept it down and directed it on target - with force.
Simon Davey follows this with a double substitution to have two strikers to put pressure on the cherries back line. This frees up the middle of the park for the home side and the onslaught on the Steve Fletcher Stand goal begins. Wave after wave of intended attacks start but don’t seem to get very far. With 20 minutes remaining, in a crowded penalty area, with shots being blocked, first Fletch goes to ground – no penalty – the ball breaks loose to Feeney who cuts in from the left and Simon Madden’s hand attempts to control it, but all credit to Liam, he keeps on going until he hears the ref’s whistle. PENALTY! Up steps the “Late Kick Off” 74 mph Hot Shot – Brett Pitman who sends the ball low to the goalie’s left, he goes the right way but can’t get to it. 2 – 0.
Easy Easy!
Darlington are now there for the taking, and with the Cherries attacking force lining up in the box, but instead of using them, it turns into shooting practice from distance.
The quality ranging from a Lee Bradbury effort which was closer to the corner flag than the goal,
A Wiggins shot on target but saved and then an Alan Connell power driver from 30 yards which James Redmond flung himself across the goal to push it up onto the bar and with Pitman moving in to get any rebound, it fell back kindly into the goalie’s hands.
A rare and final Quaker sortie into the Boscombe half ends with Michael Smith crossing the ball into the box but no one is there – thankfully!
A well deserved win by the Cherries against a resolute if not very gifted opposition. They came to frustrate and hope to get something from the game as they did against Rochdale and others.
Anton’s goal put paid to that. For the Cherries, they stuck to their task and their determination to keep them at bay paid off. Workmanlike and professional descriptions don’t really do justice to the performance. Despite a nervy first half, it was dogged, relentless, tenacious and obdurate.
It is a means to an end of gaining automatic promotion. And for us all, that’s what we want. Feeney ended up being an effective channel, it is a shame we are missing having an outlet on each wing – to keep the opposition guessing where the next strike will come from. With only two points required from the next 3 games, a win, however it is achieved at Burton on Saturday, will allow us all to enjoy the final two games and celebrate a miraculous season. But like our team, we the supporters must keep our feet on the ground until the job is completed. We wait with hope!
Each member of the team today played their part though there was no one who stood out as Man of the Match. However my vote goes to Danny Hollands. Since being relieved of the captain’s armband, his performances are returning to his former self. Today he showed himself to be a leader in a very congested area of the field and was continually marshalling his forces both defensively and trying to create attacking options.
AFCB: Jalal, Bradbury, Cooper, Pearce, Wiggins, Feeney, Hollands, Bartley, Robinson, Fletcher, Pitman
Subs: Thomas, Guyett, Cummings, Igoe, McQuoid (for Feeney, 79 mins), Connell (for Fletcher, 82 mins), Goulding (for Bartley, 93 mins)
John Harbron, Newtown