Dec 18 AFC Bournemouth 2-1 Swindon Town Att: 7110

As it proved they were here to shut up shop with four at the back with one just in front of them with Parkin up front on his own.

We started 4-4-2, Swindon started the better side having most of the possession, and on 10 mins an O'Hanlon header from an Igoe free kick was saved by Moss. Young, who was playing left back, fired over from 25-yards. A swift break from Spicer, a perfect ball down the line to Elliott, crossing for Rodrigues to meeting first time only to volley over the bar.

Elliott, again, crossed from the right for Connell to flick on, this time Howe's header cleared the cross bar.

Swindon saw Roberts linking with Parkin for his over head kick to just clear the upright, then Igoe shot tamely wide. That was the end of a poor first half - 0-0.

Swindon made a change at half time, Nicolas came on for Igoe.
The second half started wuth an Elliott shot which was gathered by Evans, and Robinson shooting straight in to Moss's arms at the other end.

Then on 51 minutes Connell picked the ball up in the middle, his defence splitting pass through to Elliott on the run down the right to cross in to the box as a host of runners came in. The ball went across them all to the far side for O'Connor to fire home from 12 yards. That shut the lively away fans up!

Rodrigues almost made it two when he lobbed Evans from 25-yards, but Evans got back just in time to push the ball over.

On the hour mark it was 1-1. Nicolas's cross was chestered down by Parkin to O'Hanlon who placed his shot in to Moss's far left bottom corner.

Reeves and Roberts were yellow carded for Swindon. Roberts was so fired up, he was substituted and replaced by Pook on 71 minutes. Otherwise he could well have been sent off! Then on 72 minutes ref Taylor was injured and replaced by a slow moving Tomlinson.

Bournemouth won another corner, we had won a few, but had made nothing of them. Stock placed it on Rodrigues's head at the near post to flick on. Four defenders, their keeper and Howe all rose for the ball, for it to fall to Maher to drill home a left foot shot from 8-yards on 77 minutes.

Browning replaced Rodrigues a minute later, with Purches making a welcome return 3 minutes after that (replacing Broadhurst).

In the closing moments Connell mugged Reeves on the edge of the box, and tried to chip the ball goal wards - the attempt narrowly cleared the bar before he was taken off for Hayter on 90 minutes.

That's how it finished, a hard, but good 3-points. Think we could have scored more.

This is a hard one. Elliott had a good game, the defence played well, Spicers was good in the first half, but the man of the match award goes to a hard working Alan Connell. he was full of running, and I think made one of the passes of the season for the first goal.


AFCB: Moss, Young, Broadhurst, Howe, Maher, Elliott, Stock, Spicer, O'Connor, Rodrigues, Connell
Subs: Stewart, Purches (on for Broadhurst, 81), Browning (on for Rodrigues, 77), Hayter (on for Connell, 91), Pitman

Steve Hunt, Shaftesbury