May 5 Port Vale 2-1 AFC Bournemouth Att: 5080

With both teams now safe this was never going to be a classic and the omens weren't good when, not for the first time this season, our journey was delayed following someone jumping under a train. Having been sent from Euston to Marylebone and back again the good news was that we got to Burslem in time for a much needed pint.

It looked as though Neil Moss was to resume from his recent injury but he suffered a recurrence in the warm-up and Gareth Stewart again deputised.

Bournemouth started reasonably well and had the majority of the early possession without ever looking like turning it into goals. The final pass always seeming to let us down.

Josh Gowling almost managed to get on the end of an Anderton corner but could only knee it past the post and for the home team Whitaker shot high, wide and not very handsome over the bar.

Both sides were caught offside on a number of occasions but this appeared to be more through chance then clever defending.

The first real incidents of note didn't come until just before half-time. First Luke Summerfield, having his best game for us (which isn't saying much), tried a shot from 40 yards which sailed over and then in a frenetic end to the half Hayter shot just wide following a good ball by Browning and Fletcher forced a save from Anyon in the Vale goal.

At the other end Rodgers put Whitaker through, only for the striker to put his shot narrowly wide and then Anyon was forced to make another save from Anderton following good work from Browning and Fletcher. HT 0-0.

Just six minutes into the 2nd half the home side took the lead after some woeful defending (as Alan Hansen would say) from the Cherries. It looked as though Josh Gowling was going to deal with a long free-kick from inside his own half from the Vale 'keeper but instead of clearing it he appeared to try to nod it back to Stewart only for Akpo Sodje to nip in behind him for a simple tap in. How many Sodjes are there by the way? We seem to play against one of the family almost every week!

Gowling made a good header a few minutes later to deny Constantine a chance but Port Vale doubled their lead on 57 minutes when Rodgers skipped past about four very weak challenges to give Stewart no chance from just inside the box.

Sodje almost set Rodgers up for another but this time a last ditch challenge from Gowling saw the shot deflected for a corner. Cherries gave us brief optimism of getting something out of the game when Summerfield followed up a James Hayter effort and, having his first shot charged down, was lucky to get a second chance and side foot home.

A couple of half chances to Summerfield and Hollands gave hope of an equaliser but it really would have been an undeserved reward from a very lacklustre performance.

All in all this was a very disappointing game which summed up an eminently forgettable season.

It's hard to say that anyone played well but I'll give it to Summerfield.

AFCB: Stewart, Purches, Broadhurst, Gowling, Cummings, Anderton, Hollands, Browning, Summerfield, Hayter, Fletcher
Subs: Howe, McQuoid (for Summerfield, 87 mins), Pitman (for Fletcher, 76 mins), Wilson, Vokes

Clive Loader, Wimbledon