The Rushden keeper was kept by far the busier keeper throughout the match, most of the saves being made were relatively straight forward, but these chances came and went (Wizard Wade missing a good chance on 7 minutes) with nothing coming of them.
The game seemed to go in to a bit of lull as neither side seemed to prepared to commit themselves too much, but then came a wonderful goal from Stephen Purches. A speculative wide pass was kept in by Danny Thomas (we thought it might go out for a throw), whose in field pass went to Purches. He cut inside, unchallenged, and decided to let fly with a terrific shot, which curved both ways before nestling inside the far post, beating an outstretched Rushden keeper. No one expected the shot, least of all us (we've seen those missed in the past!!). The quality of the shot was as good as the wonder strike produced by Danny Thomas last Tuesday against Brentford. The goal being scored in 22 minutes.
The lead didn't last too long. A sliced clearance, from a corner, allowed Rushdens Dempster to fire home from close range (on 31 minutes).
Just before halftime, we had a great chance to re-establish our lead, but the chance was wasted as Purches was presented with another shooting opportunity (lightening does not - normally - strike twice). Then right on the stroke of half time a well worked move allowed Connell to shoot, unfortunately the ball shaved the outside of the left hand upright, and behind for a goal kick.
The second half saw the Rushden keeper much the busier of the two keepers. But Rushden was first to have a clear opportunity, a great dipping shot didn't dip early enough, and cleared the cross bar by a matter of inches.
After a couple of corners, Bournemouth pressure paid off when another corner on 58 minutes was well floated in from Danny Thomas was met by Shaun Maher to loop a header high in to the top right hand corner of the goal to put Bournemouth back in to the lead again. Alan Connell forced a superb save from the Rushden keeper following a good header - he did everything right, in terms of a firm header downwards, but the keeper was equal to it to push the ball round the post for a corner.
Rushden kept pushing forward in an attempt to find an equaliser, but they just couldn't find a way through, and never really troubled Neil Moss in the Bournemouth goal. At the other end meanwhile, Bournemouth were still creating chances, Derek Holmes being guilty of a weak attempt at goal on 76 minutes. Were we going to kill the game off and claim that elusive first home win?
The final, and match winning clincher came on 85 minutes. A good move down the Bournemouth right, found the energetic Marcus Browning reach the by-line, cut the ball back across the face of goal, for Alan Connell to round off a fine individual performance by firing home from all of 6 yards!!
The relief around the ground at the end of the game was tangible as the home support gave the team a standing ovation as they left the pitch, paying tribute to Alan Connell, and then proclaiming that "we are going up"!! A bit early for that may be, but more performances like that will do us, or Sean O'Driscoll's job security, no harm at all.
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AFCB: Moss, Purches, Tindall, Maher, Young, Elliott, C Fletcher, Browning, Thomas, Holmes, Connell
Subs: Hayter, Eribenne (for Holmes on 89), Stock, Narada, O'Connor
Andy Burton, Portsmouth