FA Cup Fourth Round Stoke City 3-0 AFC Bournemouth Att: 12004

Last updated : 29 January 2003 By Andy Burton
Chris Tardiff must count himself unlucky as the Bournemouth goal keeping jinx took another twist as he was sent off for a 'professional foul' just before half time. The penalty that resulted was a farce, but meant that the hosts, managed by one Mr Pulis, led at half time, when in fact the scoreline should have been level.

The game started so much differently as Bournemouth dominated their relegation haunted hosts. The dominance was highlighred as Stoke rode their luck as early as the 9th minute when Garreth O'Connor released Wizard Wade down the right hand side of the pitch. The Wizard cut in from the right, jinked past a couple of players, fired in a low shot, and was desperately unlucky to see the ball rebound off the inside of the far post, back across the face of goal an to safety!!

City tried to reply, but Bournemouth were resolute. When Stoke did manage to break through, their shooting boots were not present and the rare chance they had hardly troubled Tardiff. Even when Stoke did sneak through the defence, Tardiff was strong in the save, typified when he saved with a strong left arm to deny a certain goal.

Then in stepped the ref. Tardiff was ajudged to bring down one of their forwards, he went for the ball. So seeing that Tardiff was outstretched decided to go down like a sack of potatoes right in front of the visiting support - not a good idea. Having been dismissed, Stewart stepped in to attempt a save. The penalty was converted - but no!! The ref decided to intervene, spotting an encroachment!! As if that really matters in this day and age!! The spot kick was to be taken again. Once again the ball was dispatched, but this time Stewart almost saved it, but it was not to be. All this ate up almost 10 minutes of 'injury time' at the end of the first half. Danny Thomas was the player to be sacrificed to make way for Stewart.

With the dismissal of Tardiff, and a goal down, the task a enormous, not helped with a second Stoke goal on 49 minutes. This time poor defending didn't help the Bournemouth cause.

As Stoke began to dominate, Sean brought on Deadly Derek and Warren Feeney, taking Steve Fletcher and Jamie Hayter off in the process. Unfortunately the change did not have the impact we would have liked. It looked like Feeney was more content to hang off the shirts of the City players most of the time. Such a shame.

Bournemouth were dead and buried late on as City wrapped up a third goal, and so killed any ambitions of a place in the Fifth Round, but we've done well out of the FA Cup making £100k in prize money this season - a welcome boost to the Dean Court coffers, plus a fair amount of gate receipts to boot.

Wade Elliott was superb down the right.

AFCB: Tardiff, Purches, Buxton, Tindall, C Fletcher, Thomas, O'Connor, Stock, Elliott, S Fletcher, Hayter
Subs: Stewart (for Thomas, 45 mins), Foyewa, Holmes (for Fletcher, 72), Feeney (for Hayter, 72), Broadhurst
Andy Burton, Portsmouth