Mar 6 AFC Bournemouth 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers Att: 7311

The game opened at a fast tempo with goal-hungry Hayter playing in a free role this time. After ten minutes we won a corner on the left which Hayter played short to Jorgensen who found Carl Fletcher with a pin-point pass on the edge of the box. We all knew our skipper would step over the ball, but Wycombe didn't and Purches was left with clear shooting opportunity. Although his thunderbolt shot unfortunately clipped the top of bar, the effort was well appreciated by the home support.

An unchecked run by Bulman posed a threat at the other end and a few minutes later Hayter had a snap shot well saved by Williams diving to his left. King James then hit a cross shot narrowly wide from the other side of the box.

The game was still finely poised when the Cherries took the lead after 20 minutes. Jorgensen played a reverse pass out to Purches in space on the right, and the midfielder had time to look up before floating a tempting right-footed cross in the direction of Cummings on the edge of the box. The ball was just asking to be volleyed and the Scotsman obliged with a sublime strike with the outside of his left boot, low into the bottom right-hand corner.

Just when things are going really well, there's always someone who has to come along and spoil it! In this case it was the referee, Mr Foy, who was obviously fretting at having virtually nothing to do. Out of the blue he decided to book Carl Fletcher for a tackle that looked barely a foul at all. Our skipper appealed to the nearby linesman but to no avail – so he'll now be suspended (I think) for the Blackpool game. Almost immediately the ref booked a Wycombe player for an equally innocuous challenge, and game began to lose its fluidity as the inept official began penalising both sides for petty offences and failing miserably to play any meaningful advantage.

As half-time approached, however, the game resumed its previous pattern with both sides creating half-chances. Wycombe were belying their league position, although this didn't stop Tony Adams from vociferously berating them at times from the technical area.

HT: 1-0

His half-time talk probably continued in the same vein, for the Chairboys gave an even better account of themselves in the second half. It was clear that, unless we got another goal, things could become a little tricky as the match wore on. After a period of pressure, Senda crashed a long-range shot against the crossbar and Moss did well to force Tyson out wide when the Wycombe man was clean through on goal. Then the Cherries' keeper did even better when Currie whipped in a right-footed free-kick from the left which he tipped over the bar at full stretch.

At the other end Feeney had a couple of chances to make the game safe, but was unable to take advantage. We gradually began to pin Wycombe back in their own half for long periods, with most moves orchestrated by the industrious Browning. However, the vital second goal just wouldn't come and the visitors always looked dangerous on the counter-attack.

As the game drew to a close there were inevitably a few anxious moments for the home fans as the Chairboys launched a final onslaught, but our defence held out to achieve our sixth home win on the trot.

A good three points that keep us in contention, but by no means an easy game against a team fighting for survival.

Very difficult, as many players had excellent spells in the game, notably Maher in the first half, Cummings and Browning, but I'm giving it to James Hayter for running his socks off and looking our most likely goal scorer.

AFCB: Moss, Buxton, Maher, C.Fletcher, Cummings, Purches, Browning, Jorgensen, Hayter (Holmes 90), Feeney (Broadhurst 80), S.Fletcher
Subs not used: Stock, O'Connor, Elliott

Ellis Griffin, Chertsey