Dec 23 AFC Bournemouth 1-3 Blackpool Att: 5758

Last updated : 29 December 2006 By Pete Wicks
Blackpool kicked off towards the North end, but Vokes shot over early. Hart found Fletcher, who clipped it over. Anderton was sweeping effectively – where did he learn to tackle competently? Vokes worked well up the right, and then released Hollands superbly down the left. His left-foot centre saw Fletcher volley side-footed at the keeper. Hayter shot at the keeper, Moss had to kick clear, but Vokes was putting himself about. In the first 15 minutes, play was 2:1 in the home side's favour. Then Broadhurst won the ball properly - & was penalised; the shape of things to come. The free was deflected for a corner – a lucky escape. However, a novel tactic in this situation was that Gillett stayed up – as Graham P. had suggested he ought to the previous week. Perhaps Bond reads & listens?

Hollands turned expertly out of a double tackle, & chipped to the far post. Gillett won a corner, from which the goalie was fouled. A lovely right-wing move saw Fletcher, Gillett & Vokes combine, but the keeper cleared. In riposte, Blackpool had an offside header at Moss, then were pulled up for leaning on Young, then shot wide. The balance was shifting. The crowd was thin – but all 4 sides were in use - & disturbingly quiet.

Vokes was giving Fletcher more time & space than he'd usually find – not that he used it well. Hollands shot wide from distance – a poor option. But overall, the side, & each of the 3 parts, worked well as a unit. Tidy, good shape, even if penetration was lacking. Hart was looking better – even competent - by playing more forward. Gillett was nearly released, and then Hollands gave him a good run. The penalty appeal was turned down – but Fletcher was yellowed for the subsequent clumsy challenge. Moss saved sharply at the near post for a corner. I noted that Jorgensen hadn't shown us his tricks yet; Blackpool were flexible when playing well, but the shape was a little incoherent. HT: 0-0

It all went wrong almost straight from the restart. Gillett held his head after a challenge, but was ignored. Hollands made a bad mistake, lost possession, & 2 quick passes later it was 0-1, 47 mins.

Gillett was looking tidy – with no great pace, so he ran a ball into touch. Then Parker turned Broadhurst inside-out, cut back, & his left-footer went around Moss & inside the far post. 0-2, 52. Things went from bad to worse; Hayter, out-of-sorts so far, was yellowed for a late slider. His hang-dog, fed-up expression dissuaded the away players from having a go. Anderton gave away a free (& was yellowed), from which Jorgensen managed to hook wide from in front of goal. At least Vokes kept going, his poke deflected onto the woodwork. Then we had 3 corners in succession. After the 2nd, Pitman replaced Hart (on 58); the 3rd saw the ball in the net, disallowed for a push. We went 3-4-3, so not surprising that Moss had to save with his legs, & again brave from a dart through the middle. Anderton slipped, & Young made the saving tackle. Blackpool were quicker in most positions – not surprising with Anderton & Fletcher on the pitch, but not for much longer. Anderton was penalised for a shirt-tug as he slipped (again), & sent off (2 yellows) on 69 for dissent; Young was yellowed for the same offence. Even before this I was uneasy about the ref. He'd been applying the letter of the law, but I wasn't convinced he was consistent. So Cherries, & especially the crowd, wore an air of resignation. Might that spread to the management team & the board? (Hope springs eternal…).

Blackpool had the freedom of our area, but Pitman was putting in some very good centres as we'd now gone 3-4-2 with Hayter & Gillett in the centre, the latter looking the better for it. Cooper replaced Hollands on 74; the latter had faded, but in any case he's better in the centre. Blackpool players were not averse to falling easily anywhere, having sussed out the ref. Another good Pitman cross saw Hayter, Vokes & Fletcher in each other's way. Blackpool skimmed the bar, & were playing & shooting at will. Then Gillett went forward, into the space created by Pitman's dummy run to the right. Blackpool had stopped playing. Into the “D”, & he plonked it into the net to the goalie's right. 1-2, 82. Some cheering – more relief than anything. Hayter tried the same thing, just going wide. Then a shot from an unchallenged run went to Moss's left – 1-3, 87. Heads hung. I thought back to the Don Megson era, & shuddered; déjà vu yet again. His son's looking for a job… Moss kept out a long shot, as loads of home fans streamed away. Vokes turned on the edge of the area, exemplifying a sad day at Dean Court. At least he kept trying. FT 1-3

Obvious headline – Tangerines give Cherries the pip. But our lot's shambolic performance in the second half did that to the home fans. We'd've been better off with an axolotl in midfield.

Man Of The Match
Anderton looked good in the first half. Vokes was splendid – effort & raw talent, & still too young to know what he shouldn't do. Moss couldn't do anything about the 3 goals, & saved other possible embarrassments. But for “finger-in-the-dyke” stuff, always trying to compensate for the defensive deficiencies of midfield & those alongside him, it has to go to Young.

AFCB: Moss, Young, Broadhurst, Purches, Hart, Anderton, Hollands, Hayter, Gillett, Vokes, Fletcher
Subs: Stewart, Browning, Cooper (on for Hollands, 74 mins), Gowling, Pitman (on for Hart, 59 mins)
Pete Wicks, Bulford