Sept 28 AFC Bournemouth 3-1 Carlisle United Att: 5103

Last updated : 01 October 2002 By Rob Mann
Bournemouth started the slower of the two teams, with the visitors keen to pass the ball around and wanting to attack at every opportunity. The Cherries midfield were working extremely hard with no reward for their pains just to keep us in the game. But despite their pressure the visitors had only two chances in the whole half worth mentioning. Around the 27 minute mark Neil Moss had to make a smart save from David Freeman, and then shortly afterwards a cross from the right saw Freeman again with a free header from 10 yards with which he should have scored but couldn’t even find the target! Notable moments for Bournemouth in the half were few. On the 20 minute mark Holmes was subbed - obviously struggling with his groin injury - to be replaced by our own super sub, Chukki!!! Bournemouth probably had two half-chances in the half: an O'Connor drive from distance that was going in before a defender cleared it, and a half-chance for Connell: a header that went over the bar.

HT 0-0

I felt the Cumbrians' best chance had come and gone, and their body language in the first 20 minutes of the half while the score was still goalless confirmed this. Bournemouth were now a different team, able to dominate the midfield and attack in waves. The Carlisle defence was visibly wilting under the pressure and starting to argue with each other. Chukki was starting to win headers and look very dangerous(!!), no more so when an attempted bicycle kick from a corner found the head of Carlisle’s Ritchie Foran. After his disgraceful attempt in the first half at diving in front of the North Standers, he didn’t receive much sympathy from the home fans as he was helped off.

The opening goal when it came was a beauty. On 62 minutes a Bournemouth corner was only half cleared allowing Browning to put Tindall in. His turn and shot beat Keen with ease. 1-0 to Bournemouth. Incidentally only moments before Tindall had gone desperately close with a volley from just inside the area which shaved the bar.

Bournemouth were now rampant with Chukki having his best game for the club, just missing the target with a near post header. But on 72 minutes it was 2-0 to Bournemouth from the penalty spot, Connell having won the penalty for handball. We then saw Tindall briefly arguing with Carl Fletcher about who was taking it. But I had no doubt that Connell would take it - and score - and so he did, perfectly into the top left-hand corner. Minutes later Carl Fletcher was through on goal, the end product of a quite brilliant Bournemouth move, but sadly he shot low allowing the keeper to spread himself and save what would have been a candidate for goal of the season.

Gaps were now appearing all over the Carlisle defence with their discipline gone and their tempers starting to fray .On the 80 minute mark Connell was replaced by Hayter, and on 84 minutes O'Connor by Stock. Stock’s first touch of the game made it 3-0 on 86 minutes. Chukki burst into the area putting a superb ball across goal with Hayter and Stock both unmarked, Hayter missed it leaving Stock to gleefully sidefoot it into the back of the net and get mobbed by jubilant supporters. But credit to Carlisle as in the 90th minute they grabbed a consolation through sub Peter Murphy with a well taken individual goal that Neil Moss had no chance with.

Chukki Eribenne!! A great second half performance, moderate first but there is a growing self belief from this young Bournemouth team that if it continues in this vein could quite easily see them take the 3rd Division Championship spot next May!



AFCB
: Moss, Young, Tindall, Broadhurst, Purches, O'Connor, C Fletcher, Browning, Thomas, Holmes, Connell
Subs: Tardif, Hayter (for Connell, 80), Stock (O'Connor, 84), Eribenne (Holmes, 23), Narada
Rob Mann, Newton Abbot