His efforts energised the rest of the team and sparked life into, what had been a turgid performance up until that stage.
The first half was devoid of any real action save for the MK goal that came deep into time added on. The team lined up in a standard 4-4-2 formation with Pugh designated as the extra striker alongside a reselected McQuoid, Robinson out on the right flank while Danny Holland partnered Marvellous Marv in the middle. Adam Smith also made a return. It was his effort early doors that caused a little ripple of excitement before the half settled into a midfield stalemate. Dietmar Haaman sauntered around midfield without care in the world. He hadn’t broken into a sweat when he made a rash lunge on the halfway line and seemingly feigned injury but didn’t avoid the yellow. Minutes later though he did depart the action so obviously was crocked! Whilst the game had some flow both sides passing was awry and the cathedral silence was only broken by the endless whining of the MK players. Eddie changed it slightly as the half progressed by pushing Feeney up front but this didn’t have much effect. Then into time added on at the end of the half a corner conceded as MK ventured some pressure. The ensuing cross saw O’Hanlon rise the highest and placed his header wide of a despairing Jalal to take the lead.
Into the second half and the game started pretty much the same as it had ended the first. So it was on the 52 minute mark that Fletch was introduced for Marvellous Marv. Not a change I would have made as Feeney seemed the obvious candidate. Nevertheless the change allowed Anton to move to the middle with Danny whilst Pugh went to the left wing. All of a sudden things opened up and the North Stand found its voice. Within 3 minutes the equaliser was scored. McQuoid made a darting run through the middle before being hauled down roughly in the middle of the park. Pugh then hit a low ‘grass cutter’ of a shot that Danny ran onto at the top of box and slotted home, cue elation!
Then for a quarter of an hour it was one way traffic. Smith at home on the right flank overlapping with Feeney floated a cross just alluding the heads of Fletch and McQuoid. Feeney got into the game more and attacked the MK right back, causing problems. Ryan Garry had a solid game at the back and was required to make a goal line clearance during a rare MK foray upfield. Anton was also enjoying his new role in the centre more and was having a positive effect of keeping MK on the ropes. He forced a number of corners from his surging runs while Pugh was creating havoc down the left and Smith was pushing forward regularly and having some snap shots. From one of these a corner was gained and Pugh’s cross found Anton, alone in the 6-yd box and with the simplest of headers made it 2-1. This was swiftly followed by a Feeney run that found Pugh whose shot floated just wide of the post. Then Fletch’s moment of the game, collecting the ball wide on the right from an MK mistake, he sent over a delightful cross that found Pugh who had the freedom of the box to put home number 3.
The Cherries were on fire - Fletch had a chance to lob the keeper but didn’t quite get the height, whilst Pugh and McQuoid linked well to fashion another opportunity. A defensive lapse by Danny conceded a penalty, a rather uncalled for lunge in my opinion, allowed MK some hope at 3-2 although with only 5 minutes plus stoppage time left then surely we could hold on. An unseemly handbags incident at the end of the game saw Rhoys tangle with Balanta who for no reason raised his hands at Rhoys’s face and received his marching orders. Cue a mad few minutes where the ref seemed to lose control of the game with 3 players swiftly finding themselves in the refs book. There was even time for one more Cherries chance only for it to glance off the bar by McQuoid. Nevertheless, all 3 points were secured and the Cherries maintain the pressure at the top of the table.
Steve Fletcher for the dramatic change in how the Cherries played following his introduction.
AFCB: Jalal, Smith, Garry, Pearce, Wiggins, Feeney, Hollands, Bartley, Robinson, Pugh, McQuoid
Subs: Stewart, Cummings, Cooper, Partington, Taylor, Bradbury, Fletcher (for Bartley, 52 mins)
Nick Wallinger, Ickenham