Match Description
Oldham
Athletic 0:1 Cherries
3540
(including 194 Cherry supporters)
Well I'm glad that I didn't get
the team line up quite right for the game at Boundary Park. AFCB had a welcome
change with Charlie Daniels coming back into the starting eleven for his first
game since we Hartlepool, on 22 January 2013. That meant that Matt Ritchie found
himself on the bench, while Fogden retained a starting place on the right wing.
It was also great to hear that Tommy Elphick was on the subs bench.
Oldham matched Bournemouth's
4-4-2 with Lee Barnard lining up as one of the forwards against the Cherries,
having played for them earlier in the season. It was always going to be a battle
with Oldham's lowly position in the league and the game was perhaps short on
thrills and skill in the beginning, but there was plenty of late drama lying
ahead.
The Cherries were going up hill
first half defending the slope. Fogden won an early free kick, Francis and
Seaborne came up for Daniels kick but the Cherries quickly lost possession and
Baxter, Obita and Iweluma broke away after a resulting throw, but luckily Allsop
gathered safely.
Pugh was making a poor start
giving the ball away several times, much to Willo's disappointment on BBC Radio
Solent.
Arter went down on his right
ankle after 13 minutes, but he was soon back up. Oldham seemed to be kicking
the ball high into the air with Tarkowski the main culprit. It wasn't much of a
spectacle for either team of supporters, but Cook and Francis were doing the
clearing up most of the time.
The
game was turning scrappy. O'Kane fouled Obita to give Baxter a set piece
opportunity, but Seaborne cleared for a corner.
Then a moment of swift and
decisive counter attacking. O'Kane broke with Grabban, and Pitman
slotted home on 22 minutes to put the Cherries on nil up! Grabban had put
the ball on a plate for Pitman having battled on when he could easily have
gone down, but he found Pitman who side footed the ball into the net.
The game had a flow now, Fogden
made a great cross that went out for a corner after 23 minutes. Francis then
won another corner and, even though Oldham cleared their lines after a frantic
scrap, AFCB kept the pressure on for a short while.
Oldham surged back again though
with Baxter getting a cross in that AFCB put out for a corner on about 30
minutes. Barnard took a shot in but Allsop held it.
AFCB were chasing down everything
and giving Oldham little room to play. It almost paid dividends when Pitman
found himself close to getting on a back pass from Mvoto. Before much more happened it was half time.
It was Oldham who started well
in the second half with Wesolowski almost getting on the score sheet.
Pitman went down with a bang on the head but it was nothing serious. Perhaps AFCB players were seeing who else could join the injury list? The commentary team said that Pugh had come out with a strapping on his wrist in the second half.
Pitman went down with a bang on the head but it was nothing serious. Perhaps AFCB players were seeing who else could join the injury list? The commentary team said that Pugh had come out with a strapping on his wrist in the second half.
Seaborne continued to head the
ball out of our box as Oldham pumped more high balls in. Oldham were still in
the ascendancy with Baxter having a shot after Grabban gave the ball away, but
it was put out for a corner. Mvoto got away from a couple of players and was
looking dangerous when he carried it 30 yards with Arter trying in vain to get
a tackle in.
Obita and Grounds were also ganging up
on Fogden but Foggy was scrapping away well. Pitman then had a great chance a couple
of minutes later but the keeper parried with Daniels following up also going
close. Grabban also had an effort saved.
Then in the space of a few seconds,
Obita managed to break and Allsop had to turn his shot on to the post and away
for a corner on 59 minutes. Oldham were getting closer!
Lee Croft was subbed and Millar came on for Oldham on 60 minutes. It was
Bournemouth who were putting the passes together and had 13 or 14 at one stage
before winning a corner. Arter then picked up his customary yellow card for a
foul on Barnard, pulling him back as he tried to break free.
Oldham
were trying everything they could now, usually lumping the ball forward. Obita
was then subbed for Montano on 67 minutes. Baxter tried his luck on a knock
down but it went high and wide. Simpson then came off for Iweluma.
The main drama happened after Oldham
won a corner and a penalty was quickly awarded to the Latics as Mvoto won a
header and Grabban was accused of hand ball, not for the first time this season
if I recall.
Baxter picked the ball up and prepared to take his kick. He had easily been Oldham's best player to this point and you would think that Allsop would be up against it to keep the ball out from 12 yards. But Baxter tried to dink his kick in flamboyant style only to see Ryan recover and put up a big hand to save it. If ever there was defining moment to the game that was it, Allsop was a hero.
Baxter picked the ball up and prepared to take his kick. He had easily been Oldham's best player to this point and you would think that Allsop would be up against it to keep the ball out from 12 yards. But Baxter tried to dink his kick in flamboyant style only to see Ryan recover and put up a big hand to save it. If ever there was defining moment to the game that was it, Allsop was a hero.
Arter and Pitman linked up again
afterwards and Grabban got passed the centre half, but could not pull the ball
back to a red shirt. Grabban came off for Hughes giving an extra one in
midfield and Daniels came off for Ritchie with 15 minutes to go.
Oldham mounted some pressure at
the end but AFCB are a good team when they have a goal lead these days.
Seaborne gave a free kick away just outside the box in the centre but Allsop
again beat it out well. Allsopp was having a great game and just growing in
confidence now.
Still AFCB were giving too many
free kicks away and Pitman was booked. Allsop made another great save from
Barnard after Simpson's touch but it was off side any way. Brown then got a
booking for Oldham, the ref was loving his yellow cards.
Seaborne went down for a while after a
challenge form Wesolowski and Ritchie took the opportunity to change his boots!
Cook again won the ball in the
air as Oldham's aerial bombardment continued.Cook found Pitman who was
one-on-one but he dinked it over the bar when he could have wrapped the game
up! It might have made things easier for Ritchie who was having to do his fair
share of heading the ball which was probably not what he needed.
Then in a strange incidence
McQuoid was booked with two minutes of normal time left, even though he was not
on the pitch for apparently not retrieving the ball.
There was four minutes of
extra time for the Cherries to hold out. AFCB were playing out having a number
of free kicks given to them in the Oldham half. Then the ref blew! Three more
points for the Cherries.
Summary
Allsop was the MoM, not just for
the penalty save but for many other shots he saved and punched away. His
kicking was also good all day. Francis too was merited with having a good game.
The two centre halves were brave and Daniels did well in his come back.
All in all, the whole AFCB team had to put in a gritty performance to earn the
three points. We are becoming like the old Arsenal with these tight 1:0
victories but hey, its three points.
After the game Eddie Howe remarked on how the team had kept two clean sheets now and the back four and goalkeeper had given an excellent display. "It was all about the result," he said. He was right, there wasn't much that was pretty out there on the pitch by all reports. Oldham were "very direct" in Howe's words and did not help the spectacle.
Howe gave a special mention to Charlie Daniels who had not had a training session all week. Howe said it wasn't a difficult choice to play him though as he is the only left back we have and Eddie was desperate to get him back.
Eddie also dismissed the penalty as he did not think Grabban had his hands raised to the ball, but he praised Allsop who stuck up a big arm to save the penalty and he made another top draw save later.
Apparently , Tommy Elphick was further ahead then Charlie in the week in terms of making the team but Howe felt the centre backs were playing well at the moment and there was no pressure to bring back Tommy early, even though he is the voice of the team. Indeed, Howe said it was good to have him around in the changing room, getting involved again.
Eddie Howe said he was not surprised by the twists and turns that seem to be happening with results in the league. "I have been preaching it," he said.
Howe gave a special mention to Charlie Daniels who had not had a training session all week. Howe said it wasn't a difficult choice to play him though as he is the only left back we have and Eddie was desperate to get him back.
Eddie also dismissed the penalty as he did not think Grabban had his hands raised to the ball, but he praised Allsop who stuck up a big arm to save the penalty and he made another top draw save later.
Apparently , Tommy Elphick was further ahead then Charlie in the week in terms of making the team but Howe felt the centre backs were playing well at the moment and there was no pressure to bring back Tommy early, even though he is the voice of the team. Indeed, Howe said it was good to have him around in the changing room, getting involved again.
Eddie Howe said he was not surprised by the twists and turns that seem to be happening with results in the league. "I have been preaching it," he said.
AFCB
Allsop, Seaborne , Francis, Cook,
Daniels, Fogden, Arter, O'Kane, Pugh, Pitman, Grabban
Subs
Jalal, Tubbs, Ritchie, Hughes,
Elphick, McQuoid, MacDonald
Oldham
Bouzanis, Brown, Grounds,
Wesolowski, Mvoto, Tarkowski, Croft, Obita, Iweluma, Barnard, Baxter
Subs
Cisak, Simpson, Montano, Millar,
Taylor, Smith, Winchester
Referee
K Hill
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