Slow starts are not making it easy for the Cherries

We have seen AFCB make comebacks in their last two games with a draw against Ipswich and a win over Birmingham, but in both games the Cherries have fallen behind with some suspect defending. Whether this positional mistakes are just unlucky or could have been avoided, only Eddie Howe's opinion really counts at this point but I can't see that he will be too enthused to see the Cherries making it harder for themselves by having to come from behind in games when they are chasing a top two position.

The shock of how surprising it is to see the Cherries go not only one but two goals behind was very evident at Dean Court on Easter Monday. It just doesn't happen that often and when it does the fans can only help the team to try and get back on their feet and to get a reaction from them. It worked last season when the team played Millwall and it worked on Monday against Birmingham, but it so easily could have been a 0-3 deficit to the Blues if Birmingham had been a bit more fortunate with Clayton Donaldson causing all kinds of problems when he linked up with Andrew Shinnie.

AFCB keepers warming up before Birmingham match.

So why are the fast starts not happening? Artus Boruc perhaps made the wrong decision to stop coming out when he faced Clayton Donaldson for Birmingham's first goal but the left side of the defence was also weak for the second Birmingham goal. I do think there is a lot of pressure on the team and it is hardly surprising now as the prize is so close. When the players are on the pitch, Charlie Daniels says that they can only think about the players in front of them and they are not thinking about where they are in the league or anything else but to win the game. But the need not to make a mistake is obviously important and no matter how much none of the players want to slip up and make the wrong decision, they can't get it right all the time.

The firepower in the team now is very strong though and towards the end of the Birmingham match it could have been two or three more goals in AFCB's favour had it not been for Darren Randolph. The total of 104 goals this season in all competitions is great, but there is plenty of work to do for the Cherries in keep the goals at the other end down. Still, the Cherries are unbeaten in eight and it is only three games ago that they did earn a clean sheet. That has to be a factor that Eddie Howe will seek to address when the team plays Brighton on Friday.

Take a look at the Match Day Gallery to see the pictures from around the ground yesterday.

All Departments has released a double bill Easter special podcast, Good Friday - Happy Mondays, covering the Ipswich and Birmingham games and you can listen to the recording by visiting the All Departments' website or by scrolling down the right hand panel on Cherry Chimes until you get to teh All departments' sound bar and click on it.