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Neil Young was certainly up for the game as he was clinical with his tackles, fairly it has to be said, even though the man was taken out as well!
Reward for early pressure came in the 17th minute when the lively Bartley, who ran his socks off all throughout the game was given the ball in the penalty area. His trickery led to a penalty decision going in our favour which Max Gradel duely dispatched to give the Cherries a deserved lead.
The middle period of the first half got a bit scrappy with neither side really asserting themselves on the game. Mention to Bartley who was pretty much everywhere across the midfield to challenge and block Cheltenham's progress, sometimes appearing from nowhere with his lightening pace to surprise the opposition.
Lee Bradbury had a number of challenges throughout the game which he really should have done a great deal better given his experience. Whether too much time and indecision were to blame is open to question, but 3 chances came and went without finding the back of the net.
One such chance broke to Warren Cummings in the 39th minute which generated a mis-hit cross which found Marvin Bartley on the edge of the area who scuffed the ball with the outside of his right foot. This saw the ball loop nicely over an outstretched Cheltenham keeper for our second of the afternoon.
Kuffour probably should have done better moments later when a shot went high and wide.
Cheltenham Town pulled one back when the Cherries failed to clear their defensive line as David Bird reduced the deficit just before the break.
HT: 2-1
The second half followed a similar pattern as the first half ...... a bit scrappy, momentary breaks and a number of half chances, most of which went to the Cherries. If the ball had been attacked more, or Bournemouth players had reached the ball first, then the goals for tally would have been greater.
When the ball was attacked, which Bournemouth did more often than not, we caused problems for our visitors. Bartley was in the centre of most things as he had 2 great chances in a matter of minutes. The first was a near post header, which was just wide and the second, moments later, saw the ball get stuck between his feet before he could get his shot away. Kuffour and Vokes providing the service for Bartley.
Yes, I might be biased, but the Cherries were dominating proceedings at this stage of the game as a number of chances came and went. Such a shame that the chances were not on target or were a bit too easy for the Cheltenham keeper to deal with.
Kuffour produced a rasping shot, which appeared to going in to the top left hand corner of the goal. On target yes, but a great save from the visiting keeper to deny the Cherries a 3-1 lead. The Cherries were denied again when the Town keeper produced another great save, this time from Sam Vokes.
The chances were coming and going, but were not being taken. Sadly, the Cherries were going to be punished for not taking their chances.
With just a couple of minutes left on the clock Steve Brooker levelled by heading home to salvage a point our visitors.
Controversy was yet to come as in the final minute Bartley was well and truely taken out Brown in the centre circle. A red card was produced for Brown, which was followed by handbags at 6-paces between a number of outfield players.
Disappointment that we couldn't hold on to the lead and not take the chances when they were presented. The draw will not be good enough. If we assume that 52 points is the target for safety, then we are some 29 points adrift of that target with just 12 games left. Sure the maths is on our side, but the probability of securing that number of points is surely unlikely.
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AFCB: Stewart, Young, Gowling, Perrett, Cummings, Cooper, J Pearce, Bartley, Gradel, Vokes, Kuffour, Bradbury
Subs: Pryce, McQuoid, Partington, Tessem (for Kuffour, 78 mins), Pitman (for Vokes, 86 mins)