With a much changed side from the one that we are used to (no Moss, Maher, Howe, Fletcher and of course Spicer) Bournemouth started with Gowling, Cooper, Cooke, Surman and Rodrigues.
We started brightly enough by forcing a couple of early corners, but neither came to anything. The second was played towards Marcus Browning, but when a deft glancing header was required, he caught the ball a bit too full on to see it fly out into the emtpy stand behind the South End goal.
A couple of Walsall corners didn't come to much either! Both resolutely defended by the Bournemouth defence. Walsall fans thought they had taken the lead on 25 minutes, only to realise that the effort had gone into the side netting.
We thought we were going to take the lead shortly afterwards when Hayter seemed to lose the ball between his feet, defenders legs and all when it seemed much easier to put the ball into the back of the net. Instead the ball rolled harmlessly by for a corner.
One of the few moments of note in the opening period came on 37 minutes when Walsall's Bennett brought Rodrigues down very unceremoniously, which prompted a straight red card.
HT: 0-0
Dani could, and probably should have done better when he was fed through 1-on-1 with the keeper. Unfortunately he put the ball straight at the keeper!!
At about the hour mark we had Walsall penned into their own area with a great period of keep ball and pressure on our visitors. No matter how we tried, it seemed apparent that we were not going to break Walsall down who kept all 10 men behind the ball!
Changes were made as Sean O'Driscoll tried to liven things up, but to little effect as far as goals were concerned.
The best chances fell to Marcus Browning, his shot from distance had to be tipped over the cross bar for a corner, and another chance came from a teasing cross which again had to be tipped over the cross bar. Both corners didn't come to anything.
I guess it was too much to ask for a repeat performance of the surprise win we gained away to Bradford City on Saturday. Greater consistency required from the younger players, something we are going to have to get used to again!!
One thing that was noticeable, was the lack of pace (at times), lack of movement and lack of fire power as too many times Bournemouth shots were from distance and largely wasted. If this was rugby .... we'd have won easily on the number of 'conversions'!
Marcus BrowningAFCB: Stewart, Young, Gowling, Cooper, O'Connor, Browning, Stock, Cooke, Surman, Rodrigues, Hayter
Subs: Maher, Coutts (on for Rodrigues, 65), Hart (on for Cooke, 85), Hudson, Pitman (on for Stock, 79)
Andy Burton, Portsmouth