After early exchanges of pleasantries, including a Robinson shot nicked for a corner, Boscombe won a free wide left. Pitman curled it in; Pearce made a dummy run, took his marker with him & thus bamboozled the keeper. The ball swung just inside the far post - 0-1, 3 mins! Brilliant start, but too early? Jalal had to go down smartly, then Goulding put in Molesley; Boscombe looking good. Wiggins' long cross had Pitman stretching - over. A home forward shinned it over the bar, looping onto the net - somewhat fortunate for Cherries, whose defence had to concentrate. Howe rang changes positionally, with Pitman going inside right & Goulding inside left - sort-of 4-3-3. Both sides stuck to their game plans, but frankly were both clumsy. Cooper found Pitman in space; Robinson covered solidly, then Goulding linked with Fletcher & Pitman for a corner. The clearance allowed Molesley to set up a crack which the keeper was fortunate to tip up & clear. Then Molesley linked with Cooper, Pitman, himself again & Cooper again - looking good, finding cracks.
Not all went our way. Jalal rushed to the right corner of the area & punched clear, only to be yellowed for handball. He needed more than one reminder from Cooper & Pearce to calm down. The free led to pinball, but was cleared. Fletcher was making a big effort up front, able to do so with the poorer quality of his markers. But big bad ugly Lincoln reject Ellison was always a threat; Chester had a decent game plan which failed through lack of quality. In response, Molesley was good & tricky on their 18-yard line, but pulled the shot. However, Goulding was either not strong enough, too often out-muscled - or penalised. Hollands did some great work on the left, feeding Fletcher who pulled his shot also. Boscombe players were usually first to the ball, but…Robinson was an example of how distribution was poor through the side. Boscombe controlled about 60:40, but lack of composure led to little good end product. Then Fletcher made a great clearing header from defence, allowing Wiggins to do excellent work on the left, but he then took the wrong option at the end. At the whistle, applause for a deserved lead; now the butterflies in the stomach started to fly. HT: 0-1.
We'd not noticed an injury, but Ellison was replaced over half-time. Fletcher fed Goulding who won a corner, then Chester gained the upper hand and Boscombe had trouble clearing 2 corners. Goulding had several 1-on-1s with defenders, & had done a solid job, but was replaced by Feeney on 58. He went wide right, with Molesley to the left side. Wiggins was strong, winning 2 tackles. Fletcher nodded back a cross but Molesley's shot was saved. Pitman was tricky but chipped to the keeper rather than over him. A corner clearance went to Pitman who fed Molesley - again, shot saved. Fletcher, Pitman & Feeney linked well; again a cleared ball went to Pitman who put in Molesley but Fletcher couldn't quite stretch to the cross.
Hollands headed to Molesley who put Wiggins down the wing; the cross was too far for Hollands who'd made a great run. Regrettably he was then yellowed for a late trip. Chester - still in there; Pearce headed off the line, & Jalal went down well again to an angled shot. Feeney skinned his marker - ball down the line, Feeney round him inside - but the cross was poor, especially with Molesley clear. He made amends with a low shot which the goalie would have been disappointed in only parrying; from nowhere, Robinson slid in - 0-2, 79 mins. Much celebration at our end. It had been coming, with Boscombe in almost total control, & did as we pleased the last 10 mins. Eddie gave us a wave! Chester shot wide; Fletcher's effort deflected to Pitman but he was too clever & casual in turning & shot just wide. He had time to put out the deckchair, make a cuppa, & read the Channel Island Chronicle before tapping it in, if he'd bothered to think sensibly. Then he linked with Fletcher again, & put a volley just over for the chip forward. He also did his share of keeping it in the corner; again, trying to be too clever he lost the ball. But our heroes were in complete control. Bradbury came on for Fletcher on 90+1, then Connell for Pitman a minute later. Bradbury did the corner stuff; Connell had one touch then the final whistle went. Job done. FT: 0-2.
Massive mutual celebrations, of course. The players had just been paid out of the FL's distribution. Who knows when (if?) & how much they may be paid again, so these last few games are being played out of pride & professionalism. And as the home side now needs to win its last 2 games, & Boscombe lose both, it seems to be all over bar the shouting _on_ the pitch. Behind the scenes, administration may still happen, or whoever owns the club at season end can't fund the close season. Along with several other clubs, ours may not reach the big August KO - & what would the FL do then? If one club fails, that club has a problem. If several fail, the league has a structural crisis.
Back to the football, Hollands' passing was still sometimes lackadaisical, & still too often that backchat to the ref. That's not a good sign. Robinson covered assiduously but needs to learn how to distribute; some passing was counter-productive. Wiggins needs to tighten up positionally but attacked well & is a good prospect. Add back in the 17 points, that league position would be a fair reflection of the team's abilities.
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AFCB: Jalal, Cooper, Pearce, Garry, Wiggins, Hollands, Robinson, Molesley, Goulding, Fletcher, Pitman
Subs: Pryce, Guyett, Feeney (for Goulding, 58 mins), Bradbury (for Fletcher, 90 mins), Connell (for Pitman, 90 mins)
Peter Wicks, Bulford