Feb 1 AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Leicester City Att: 10719

Last updated : 01 February 2014 By Exiles Reporter

Bournemouth made a few changes Ritchie dropping to the bench, Grabban moving to the right and Pugh rested and replaced by Fraser. New signings Smith and Kermorgant on the Benchand . Harte was again in for Daniels. 

The first half was like the opening rounds of a boxing match which only sporadically broke into life. Rantie was playing on his own upfront so we played balls to him as if he were a target man, occasionally he managed to control it but up against two centre half who were lumbering the ball was never played in the right place chances were spurned to do so on a number of occasions especially by Arter who had an in and out game.( missed passes but an outstanding tackle which almost certainly stopped a goal scoring opportunity). 

After early Bournemouth pressure Leicester grew in confidence and began to play the football expected of leaders with Vardy and Knockeart both impressive were thwarted by world class saves by Camp. I don’t say that lightly they were unbelievable. 

Bournemouth’s one chance of the half came towards the end with an Elphick header just clearing the Bar from a delightful set play cross by Harte.

0-0 at half-time a couple of things at half – time occurred. The referee must have been replaced because the one who came out in the second half must have come down on the coach with Leicester.

Eddie made two changes we had struggled with the swirling wind, the heavy bobbly pitch so the unlucky Rantie and Fraser were replaced by Kermorgant and Ritchie.

They both bought impetus to the side and chances came and went mainly to Grabban but you could see that Yann will be a real asset over the coming months playing now with two up front in meant the ball stuck a bit better but we were a little bit more exposed at the back. On one such occasion the ball was played through (in the first half the muscular Morgan brushed Rantie aside no free kick), in this second half Vardy bounces off Elliott Ward and Ward gets booked. The resulting free kick clears the bar. Another world class save by Camp and the game begins to meander towards a goalless draw the only answer Leicester had was to replace the anonymous Nugent with the 40yr old Kevin Phillips. 

You knew when he was purchased Leicester were hoping for someone to take them over the line!!! 

The challenges were getting feisty and then from where I sat I am sure I saw an unpunished two footed tackle which poleaxed Arter, a swinging elbow on Kermorgant which brought only a yellow, but as I said I think the ref changed at half-time. Finally with ten minutes to go the game changing event happened a cross comes in from the right ( which should have been blocked at source) and Phillips has pulled back off his marker (loss of concentration) and he heads it back across goal. Camp stretches gets a hand on it but it bobbles towards goal did it cross the line!!! could be, possibly and by such small margins are points won and lost and promotions gained.

Phillips at this rate will get them over the line!!!

Pitman replaced the tiring Surman to no avail and Leicester got their 9th win in a row.

Plus points O’Kane probing making things happen on an awful surface, the back four doing well against a good side, the promise of more to Man Of The Matchcome from Kermorgant. One of the best permanent signings of recent years soon to make his way into Neil Perrett of the echoes if he continues to play like this my man of the match Lee Camp.

AFCB: Camp, Francis, Elphick, Ward, Harte, Fraser, Surman, O'Kane, Arter, Grabban, Rantie
Subs: Allsop, Cook, Smith, MacDonald, Kermorgant (for Rantie, 45 mins), Ritchie (for Fraser, 45 mins), Pitman (for Surman, 83 mins)

Clive Deverell, Swindon