The early tempo of the game promised some hope for an entertaining tussle, with both sides probing for the openings but neither finding the all important final ball. Dani in particular had an extra step in his stride and it was his cross from the right in the tenth minute that almost broke the deadlock as the ball found Brett Pittman coming in with a late run from his own flank and angling a shot back across goal and just wide of the far post. Both sides worked hard in trying to control the game, but as the rain lashed down nobody was able to put their foot on the ball and dictate any kind of pattern. Neither goalkeeper was really extended during the first half as the match became bogged down in the middle of the park and, despite the best endeavours of Steven Foley and James Hayter, the Cherries' best opportunities came from a succession of corners, but most of them proved to be wasted with, quite simply, poor deliveries into the box. After forty minutes the travelling band of die hard's were woken from their reverie as a corner from Foley found Hayter who's header, although for once on target, fell kindly into the keepers arms.
With Steve Fletcher on the bench today it meant that the five foot nine Hayter was left to take on Clayton Fortune who, well, is built like Fletch. His catalogue of injuries notwithstanding this season, something at the back of mind tells me that Fletch would have relished the challenge. For Vale, their best effort was the ball in the back of the net several seconds after the whistle had been blown. It was one of those days. The second half had to be better, didn't it? Don't bet on it. Whether or not it was the conditions, the tension being experienced by both sets of players as they have struggled to stave of the threat of relegation in recent weeks (and, frankly, neither side deserves to go down) or simply the effect of the two games over the Easter break, the second half simply carried on where the first half left off. Midfield mediocrity, with nobody able to seize the day. Having started brightly, Dani faded alarmingly and it was not long before I was beginning to question whether or not I had missed a half time switch but, no, as I looked around the pitch there he was. Steve Foley buzzed about like a spring time bee (not much bigger then a bumble bee, come to think of it), but for all his endeavour and the five man midfield, all to often he was left to go down channels with no support. James O'Connor was by his standards somewhat subdued and did not, from memory, do one effective run down the line. Shaun Cooper was outstanding at the back, with nothing getting past him, ably assisted by Neil Young and Callum Hart. But for all the effort, not once did the Cherries really trouble Goodlad in the Vale goal.
Sean made use of all his substitutions and brought on Steve Fletch for young Brett after seventy two minutes, Ben Rix for Steve Foley (78 minutes) and Marcus Browning for Dani after eighty three minutes. All three were tactical and it was Fletch who arguably had the best chance for Bournemouth in the last minute as he got his head to a Cookie corner but the ball went straight at Goodlad. And that was about the sum of it. By no means the most inspiring of games, but at what Sean has referred to in recent weeks as the "business" end of the season it was arguably more important to come away with one point. The positives? One point, no more injuries to worry about and no bookings. Arguably one of the easier games that Mr Parkes would have had to control this season.
Let's make no mistakes over this season: it was been depressingly average, given our performances in recent years (relegation notwithstanding three years ago). Perhaps not that surprising with so few of last year's squad able to considered fit enough on a regular basis this campaign (by my reckoning Stewart, Young, Hayter, Fletch and Browning. On a positive note, the performances of some of those that have come in and been forced to play out of position, such as Callum Hart, James O'Connor, Steve Foley and Shaun Cooper augurs well for the future. Assuming that is, we can get back some of those that have been on and off the fitness table throughout the season.
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AFCB: Stewart, Hart, O'Connor, Young, Purches, Cooke, Cooper, Foley, Rodrigues, Hayter, Pitman
Subs: Broadhurst, Tindall, Fletcher (for Pitman, 74), Rix (for Foley, 79), Browning (for Rodrigues, 84)
David Linsay, South Woodham Ferrers