Saturday 30 August 2014

Cherries hold Canaries to a draw: Norwich 1 v 1 AFCB

Match Description
Norwich City 1 v 1 AFCB
Attendance: 25,814

Most would have expected Yann Kermorgant to be among the 11 to take the field at Carrow Road in a Cherries' shirt but he found himself on the bench with Callum Wilson playing the lone striker, supported by Junior Stanislas and Ryan Fraser. Matt Ritchie also found himself among the subs as Ryan Fraser was ready to make a start. The idea looked to be to flood the midfield paying respect to Norwich City's good season start and to break fast with runners such as Gosling and Arter feeding the wings and Wilson.

Surprisingly Andrew Surman was out of the squad for Norwich, but Lewis Grabban started as expected and he did not take long to remind us all of just what a good striker he is. 


Jason Tindall explains the AFCB line up.

The match started well for AFCB with Hoolahan going in the book after 10 minutes bringing down Wilson. Norwich's tactic looked to be to bring players down however they could with a string of free kicks against them in the first quarter of an hour as AFCB frustrated them with their powerful running and passing. But all too soon AFCB had to defend and they did not do it well enough come the quarter hour mark. Nathan Redmond crossed to Lewis Grabban who headed the Canaries 1-0 up! Not what the first 10 minutes of play had indicated would happen but now the Cherries would really have to be more solid as Norwich would look to build on that lead. 

Grabban was finding a good deal of space in front of the Bournemouth back four and was able to get shots away even if wide. Lafferty as well was getting on the ball now. While Fraser and Francis were winning free kicks, Norwich were clearing their box regularly. AFCB's raids were quickly being closed down outside the Canaries' box. Towards the end of the first half it was Norwich dictating play and going close with Camp having to be wary of Lafferty in particular. But with two minutes of extra time at the end of the first half, Junior Stanislas started a terrific move with Simon Francis and his cross was a tap in for Callum Wilson to make it 1-1 at half time. Some major decision-making was now required by Eddie Howe to see how he could mastermind the best solution for the second half. There had only been five shots each in the first half and AFCB had only had the one on target, but it counted. Just two corners each as well, so quite a tight game with AFCB said to have 60 per cent of the possession.

We all wanted to know if Eddie Howe would keep it tight or gamble by bringing on another striker in the second half. It all would depend on the first 15 minutes of the second period I thought and how edgy that equaliser had made Norwich. Bradley Johnson fired an early warning shot in the second half but Camp was equal to it. Lafferty joined Turner and Hoolihan in the book after taking down Junior Stanislas. Johnston then follows him into the book after a poor challenge on Arter. Come the hour and Matt Ritchie replaced Ryan Fraser as AFCB looked for a lead.

Norwich's passing was starting to go astray and Murphy came on for Laffferty. Gosling and Wilson tried their luck from distance as the Cherries looked for an upset win. Pug was also on now for Stanislas. There are just signs at this point that AFCB are in control and Jerome replaced Redmond to try and regain the home team's upper hand. Simon Francis was the first AFCB player booked with 13 minutes remaining. Norwich were back on top and pressing for the win with Johnson laying especially well.

AFCB were playing on the break with Pugh hitting a shot right at Ruddy. Camp was called into action near the end with a dangerous free kick effort but he kept it out. While it was a tense last 10 minutes neither side could do enough to get the win and AFCB had managed a credible draw 1-1. AFCB stay 11th in the table.


Official Match Tweets from AFCB

01: We are underway at Carrow Road! #afcb line up in the expected 4-5-1, with O'Kane the deepest: http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

03: Lewis Grabban, with his back to goal in the #afcb box, finds some space, but his cut back finds no one: http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb

06: Cherries looking bright, getting balls into the box and keeping hold of possession well so far: http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

07: A neat back heel by Stanislas finds Gosling in space, but the former #nufc star blasts a long range effort over the bar: #NCFCvAFCB

10: A poor short corner from Grabban is foiled and Wilson breaks away. He's tripped cynically by Hoolahan who goes into the book. #NCFCvAFCB

15: Nathan Redmond finds Grabban unmarked in the box, and the striker heads straight past Camp.#ncfc 1-0 #afcb . bit.ly/ncfcvafcb

15 Goal to Norwich City. Lewis Grabban finds the net against his old club. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

26: Grabban picks the ball up 25 yards out and shoots from distance, but it goes wide of Camp's post. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

27: Lafferty has a first time effort from distance, but Camp holds well. #ncfc having the lion's share of possession now. #NCFCvAFCB

31: Michael Turner goes into the book for a late tackle on Callum Wilson. The resulting free kick goes straight to Ruddy. #NCFCvAFCB

Cherries need to make the most of the set pieces they are winning here - City have been impressive but have given some silly free kicks away and are struggling with their pace at times.

34: So far they are yet to test Ruddy though. (At this point just 3 shots each and just two on target both from Norwich).

37: Neat play on the edge of the area from City culminates in Lafferty volleying it first time

37: A lovely move from Grabban, Hoolahan & Lafferty ends when the latter fires a half volley over the bar. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

39: Redmond swings one over the wall and Camp has to punch away. Elphick heads clear the corner. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

Fraser tries his luck from 25 yards but it is weak and trickles past the post.

45: There will be a minimum of two minutes added time at Carrow Road. Norwich currently soaking up some #afcb pressure. #NCFCvAFCB


GOAAALLLLL!!!! WILSON!!!

45+1: Brilliant move from #afcb ! Stanislas finds Francis with the through ball and he crosses for Wilson to tuck home. #NCFC 1-1 #AFCB .

Half time at Carrow Road and the Cherries have struck before half time to change the complexion of this fixture. #NCFCvAFCB

46: We are back underway at Carrow Road where it's #NCFC 1-1 #AFCB . bit.ly/ncfcvafcb#NCFCvAFCB

48: Bradley Johnson tries an effort from outside the box but Lee Camp collects well. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

52: Stanislas breaks at pace and Lafferty slides in cynically. Another Canary goes into the book. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

60: Johnson goes into the book for a late tackle on Arter. Ryan Fraser is replaced by Matt Ritchie. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

61: Kyle Lafferty is replaced by Josh Murphy. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

62: Dan Gosling tests John Ruddy in the Norwich goal, but the stopper holds well. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

66: Arter plays a sweet through ball to Wilson in the channel, but the forward's cross-come-shot is just wide of Ruddy's goal. #NCFCvAFCB

67: Marc Pugh replaces Junior Stanislas, who has done well today. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

71: There is a break in play as Simon Francis receives some treatment. Cameron Jerome is on for Nathan Redmond. #NCFCvAFCB

74: Grabban is played through but Cook recovers and blocks his shot. Camp collects. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

75: Another good tackle from Cook disposes Jerome in the penalty area. The Norwich sub has been lively. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

77: Simon Francis goes into the book for a foul on Bradley Johnson. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

80: Ritchie plays in Pugh as the Cherries break, but the winger's half volley is straight at Ruddy. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

85: Five minutes remaining and it's proving to be a tense finish for both sets of supporters. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

87: Ritchie hits one from distance but it's over the bar. The official attendance is 25,814, no away figure yet. #NCFCvAFCB

88: Pugh overlaps Daniels and gets in a cross, but it is deflected just past the toe of Matt Ritchie. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

89: Bradley Johnson's dangerous free kick is on target but Camp tips it over! http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

90: There will be a minimum of four minutes added time. http://bit.ly/ncfcvafcb #NCFCvAFCB

AFCB
Camp, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, O'Kane, Gosling, Stanislas (Pugh 67), Arter, Fraser (Ritchie 60), Wilson

AFCB Subs
Flahavan, Ritchie, Kermorgant, Harte, Rantie, Smith, Pugh

Norwich City
Ruddy, Whittaker, Garrido, Johnson, Hoolahan, Tettley, Johnson, Lafferty  (Murphy 60), Redmond (Jerome 69), Grabban

Norwich Subs
Cuellar, Jerome, Loza, E Bennett, Murphy, Rudd, O'Neil

Referee
Steve Martin


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