Nov 18 AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Carlisle United Att: 5682

Last updated : 18 November 2006 By Andy Burton
No sooner had the game got under way and Moss found himself picking the ball out from the back of the net! In the 5th minute Maher brought down Hawley inside the penalty area. The ref had not hesitiation but point to the spot, which Hawley duely got up to convert. Maher was only booked as Young was close by in the challenge. Otherwise I am sure that it would have been red!

After that, our visitors looked fairly comfortable on the ball throughout the half, without looking too challenged, where as when Bournemouth got the ball it looked more huff and puff, sideways and backwards without really getting anywhere! A measure of the pressure their keeper had to deal with comes when you consider that he didn't really have a save to make.

Hollands could have equalised, but he pulled his shot wide of the far post when it might have been easier to get it on target.

A key change was made when Anderton withdrew himself from the game at the end of the half, which saw the introduction of Pitman.

The second half was far more lively - to start with anyway. Bournemouth piled on the pressure on the Carlisle goal. How on earth the ball didn't cross the line is anyone's guess! A superb reflex save from the Carlisle keeper denied Maher from levelling from close range. But when was so very frustrating, when they had the whole goal to aim at, why is it our players find their keeper? Step forward ......... Steve Fletcher and Ryan Bertrand for particularly being guilty of this crime! Even with this pressure and possession, there didn't seem to be a real threat that we'd score.

The second period was better than the first - not difficult! Pitman made a real difference when he was introduced, but no goals is still not goals and another defeat is still another defeat no matter how it stacks up or how many 'positives' are taken from the game!

Nice to see Deadly Derek back at Dean Court ........ he's found 2nd gear at Brunton Park where as he only had 1st gear when he was with us!

Man Of The Match
Hollands

AFCB: Moss, Young, Purches, Maher, Bertrand, Foley, Anderton, Cork, Foley, Hayter, Fletcher
Subs: Stewart, Pitman (on for Anderton, 43), Songo'o (on for Foley, 79), Gowling, Broadhurst
Andy Burton, Portsmouth