This was hardly a classic but at the business end of the season then it is the result that matters most and these 3pts may yet prove invaluable in the run-in. The opening exchanges promised much but once the early goal had been scored the game failed to live up to its early promise. Solid defensive work kept the Irons from any serious challenge on the Cherries goal.
At times when we put our mind to it our passing was pretty, fast incisive. We carved open the Irons defence with ease and this really should have been more than just a one nil win.
The opening exchanges saw the Irons probing with some neat play in the middle of the park. Then the Cherries clicked with a flowing passing move that carved open the Irons. Pugh was free on the left and had plenty of time to select where to place the ball. He picked out the recalled Tubbs who headed the ball onto Pitman who delicately volleyed home on 10 minutes.
A quiet period followed before more accurate passing saw Daniels set free but only to have the ball smothered at his feet by the Irons keeper. It was then the tail end of the half before the next clear strike at goal that saw both Tubbs & Pitman watch in vain as Daniels fizzed across the goalmouth.
The 2nd half was a repeat of the first with Bournemouth in clear control. Harry Arter burst through the Irons midfield and let rip with a shot from outside the box only to see his shot parried and cleared. Soon after the Irons made their one and only chance of the game as Duffy found himself in the clear as for once the Cherries defence melted away. His shot however was pulled wide despite the goal beckoning him.
More crisp passing on the hour saw Tubbs head back across goal to Pitman only for his shot to clip the bar and go over. O’Kane was threatening throughout and linked with Pugh to fashion a further opportunity for Pitman only for a defender to block the ensuing shot. Ritchie then had a strike saved and soon after an O’Kane strike failed to beat the keeper also.
Maybe a better side would have made us pay for our missed opportunities but Scunthorpe were not that side and we did enough to just win the game.
So here we are 4 games to go, 4 cup finals and hopefully with 4 more wins the Championship beckons.
Eunan O’Kane – industrious throughout, always looked a danger going forward.
AFCB: Allsop, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, O'Kane, Pugh, Tubbs, Pitman
Subs: Jalal, Seabourne, Hughes, Fletcher, McQuoid (for Tubbs, 73 mins), MacDonald (for Pugh, 82 mins), Fogden (for Ritchie, 90 mins)
Nick Wallinger, Isle Of Man