This match was anything BUT dull. Plenty of chances, especially for the Cherries. So it was a surprise that the ball only found the back of the net once.
A lively start to the game though ..... after just 90 seconds, Bradbury had a low shot, but that missed the target; Connell got in on the act when he got too much on the ball to head just past the right hand upright 30 seconds later. Plenty of pressure in the final third, crossing in towards the penalty area. Sadly though, not too much for the keeper to do, apart from some catching practice.
The Cherries got their reward in the 18th minute when a long throw from Bradbury was flicked on by Fletcher, who in turn found the run of Robinson, who fired home in to the bottom right hand corner of the Morecambe goal. No more than the Cherries deserved at this point. At this stage I honestly thought that more goals were going to come ..... how wrong I was in the end!
One glaring miss, and error of judgement, came from Hollands when he found himself in acres of space just after the half hour mark. Instead of controlling the ball, he hurridly headed the ball behind for a goal kick. A moment or two of awareness and he would have realised that he would have had time to control and produce a shot which would have (hopefully) been on target and hopefully doubled the advantage. Sadly it was not to be.
After the goal, Morecambe came more in to the game, being forced to try and forge their way forward if they wanted to find an equaliser. They did come very close to doing so in the opening 45 minutes when Jim Bentley (somehow) managed to put the ball almost over the North Stand from within the 6-yard box (40th min).
During the second half, the game was just as open as it had been during long spells of the first half. As with the first half, plenty of (half) chances, but neither keeper tested too often.
The Morecambe keeper was tested to his full when a rasping shot from Pitman and later on from McQuoid (who was everywhere) forced superb saves from the visiting keeper.
Morecambe missed a glaring chance themselves when it seemed easier to score. They somehow managed to contrive an opportunity which hit the outside of the right hand upright (thankfully)!
Not a sparkling performance, but good enough to collect three points, which is all important at this stage of the season. Just 6 wins required for automatic promotion?
My man of the match is Josh McQuoid who had a surperb game.
AFCB: Jalal, Bradbury, Bartley, Garry, Wiggins, McQuoid, Robinson, Hollands, Connell, Fletcher, Pitman
Subs: Thomas, Goulding, Igoe (for Connell, 86 mins), Cummings (for McQuoid, 94 mins)
Andy Burton, Portsmouth