Eddie made three changes, with Elphick replacing the suspended Ward, MacDonald coming in for returned loanee Collison, and Lee Camp arriving on loan from WBA to replace the out-of-form Allsop.
Both teams showed their attacking intent from the off, with the Cherries looking the more likely to score. Rantie looked particularly pacey and full of tricks and had a couple of efforts blocked before testing Lonergan with a close range effort which the keeper did well to save with his legs.
At the other end, Camp was called into action to save a powerful drive from Baptiste. However, the Trotters' main threat was from the left wing where Lee was proving a handful for Francis. Despite having the edge over the visitors for most of the half, the Cherries fell behind 8 minutes before the break when Lee set up Ngog to round Camp and score, the ball trickling over the line with neither keeper nor defenders able to get back. A very soft goal and a bad time to concede.
HT: 0-1
In the second period, the visitors decided to settle for what they'd got and parked the proverbial bus. And they did so extremely well. It was truly frustrating for both players and fans. Despite having a lion's share of possession, the Cherries failed to create any real chances, and Lonergan was rarely tested. We needed either a touch of inspiration or a lucky break, and neither was forthcoming.
Eddie tried to change things with a double substitution - Pitman for the out-of-sorts Fraser and Thomas for Rantie. The latter somewhat surprising, as TK had looked the most likely to make something happen. But nothing seemed to work. Pugh and Francis tried hard down the flanks, but the final ball was never good enough. Nor were we able to pass the ball through the massed ranks. Indeed, our passing was rarely sharp enough on the day.
Pitman failed to find the target from a couple of free kicks in promising positions, Surman had a long-range effort comfortably pouched by Lonergan and the home fans started to drift away as the game petered out.
In injury time, the visitors added insult injury when Beckford scored following a breakaway.
A disappointing afternoon in front of a 10,000+ crowd. Although nobody had a bad game, we gave the ball away too cheaply at times and never looked like breaching the Trotters' defence despite all our possession. Teams have possibly worked out how we play and know how to negate us, so Eddie and Jason will have some thinking to do.
Steve Cook
AFCB: Camp, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Fraser, MacDonald, Arter, Pugh, Grabban, Rantie
Subs: Allsop, Harte, Addison, Hughes, Thomas (for Fraser, 63 mins), Pitman (for Rantie, 64 mins), Surman (for MacDonald, 85 mins)
Ellis Griffin, Chertsey