Cherries played Pitman and young Sam Vokes up front who made up for any lack of experience with sheer determination. The early exchanges saw Forests Tyson chase a through ball which Neil Moss came out and headed clear colliding with the pacy striker in the process. Tyson did manage to set up a header for Holt before having to leave the field as a result of his earlier injury. It was then Cherries turn to lose a key player to injury when Neil Young bravely went in to clear a cross and had to go off in the 30th minute with claret gushing from his head.
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It was Purches who combined well with Bertrand to force Pedersen into a low save and then with more chances falling the Cherries way Broadhursts flick was cleared off the line.
The Cherries were well in control of the game with Forest looking a bit tired after their visit to Salisbury at the weekend and the first half ended with a flurry of Boscombe corners and a lunge from Pitman put the ball just wide.
Half-Time Cherries 0 Forest 0
The second half started almost disastrously when Cherries defence allowed Southall a free run at goal but his shot blazed high over Moss's bar. The Cherries then took up where they left off in the first half knocking the ball around well and a late tackle on Purches gave Gillett a free kick on the right which he swung in beautifully between defenders and the goalkeeoer for young centre back Matthew Connolly to rise at the back post and head home.
The relief was audible as were the chants of "top of the league? you're avin' a laugh" the Cherries continued pressing but with just under an hour gone Sam Vokes mum came to take him home and he was replaced by Josh Gowling who went up to partner Brett Pitman who was proving to be a handful for Big Wes Brown.
On the hour Forest enjoyed a ten minute spell where they had plenty of ball but snappy tackling from Purches and Bertrand with assistance from a solid Broadhurst and dependable Eddie Howe meant they were limited to a few long range shots that troubled the ball boys more than Moss.
As the game entered the final stages Gowling was doing a fine job with several flicked headers and chest-downs which were copyright Steve Fletcher. Forest then had their best chance yet, a corner which Holt headed downwards from six yards was brilliantly saved by Neil Moss and seconds later was at it again with a tip over from yet another long range but this time on target Southall effort.
With the clock ticking away Pitman with his back to Big Wes chested a long ball down and turned his man running on into the box only to be clubbed to the ground by the clumsy Brown. Referee Shinyhead pointed to the spot. Brett took the ball himself and drilled it low into the far right corner of Pedersens net for two nil and three priceless points towards safety.
AFCB: Moss, Broadhurst, Howe, Connolly, Young, Bertrand, Cork, Cooper, Gillett, Pitman, Vokes
Subs: Stewart, Foley, Purches (for Young, 30), Gowling (for Vokes, 57), Hollands (for Cooper, 90)
Booked: Pitman.
Goals: Connolly 51, Pitman 89 pen.
Simon Newsham, Son of a Bournemouth Legend, Portsmouth