Christchurch 1 v 7 AFCB: bad day at the office for Thomas

AFCB's first X1 line up at Christchurch was fairly strong as had been promised. It was a combination of youth and experience with Matthews, Cornick, Fraser and Stockley joining the more established players in the Cherries ranks. From what I could tell, Fraser was playing left midfield and Mathews and Arter in the middle and Cornick on the right in the first half and it was all change again in the second half. Some 722 fans attended the pre-season game at Hurn-bridge.

The stars of the show were Matthews, Arter, Fraser, Stockley, McDermott and Cargill. But it wasn't Thomas' best 45 minutes in an AFCB shirt.

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Here is a match summary of the goal action

It was Christchurch who made Darryl Flahavan make the first save after 4 minutes, blocking Dan Soul's close range effort.  Max Smith also tested Flahavan who was equal to the task. However when Fraser sent in a low cross Pitman put the Cherries 0:1 up after just 8 minutes. Matthews was said to offer good support in the build up.

There was little else mention until Cornick fed Fraser in on 21 minutes but Max Frampton made the save. Then on 27 minutes Christchurch equalised through Sam Purdy who got the better of Wes Fogden at right back. Oh, dear Foggey! Apparently, it was a ball over the top and Wes was beaten for pace at this early stage of the season.

Harry Arter then broke through on 34 minutes to make it 1:2 to the Cherries. It was a low shot the the bottom left hand corner. He then made it 1:3 moments later - in a rush to get on with the scoring.

Fraser sounds like he was having a great game and crossed to Stockley to head home, but Jayden couldn't direct it on goal. Then with another chance Jayden did finish a smart move on 43 minutes - 1:4 to the Cherries at half time. Matthews, Stockley and Fraser had a very good 45 minutes according to Robert Lee who tweeted me from the game.

I thought the second half AFCB team looked even stronger. It seemed that way when Wes Thomas put the first chance wide, on 49 Minutes, from just inside the box. Two minutes later Lewis Grabban went even closer, only inches wide.

McDermott was playing centre midfield. I think he is good there as he is capable of going on runs either side when he opens up. Wes Thomas sounded like the only player with no number on the back of his shirt, which may not have been helping his shooting.

Grabban was hot though and he made it 1:5 on 57 minutes - a solo goal from 18 yards out. Wes Thomas next slid in to connect with Baily Cargill's cross only to see the ball come off the wood work. Chris Willis tweeted that Thomas was only a yard out and had an open goal! Good job AFCB were 1:5 up and could be charitable. And then, just to compound things Thomas missed a penalty on 71 minutes, well I'll give the keeper credit as Gareth Hicks saved to his left.

Baily Cargill then added a sixth AFCB goal, volleying home at the far post from a Francis cross on 76 minutes. Donal McDermott also got on the score sheet as he dispossessed a defender and curled the ball from the edge of the box into the top corner. A stunner by all accounts! 78 minutes gone.

Simon Francis came close on 88 minutes, before Wes Thomas hit the post this time and McDermott hit the ball over in the 89th minute. So it finished up 1:7.

Cherries line up first half:
Flahavan, Fogden, Addison, Ward, Daniels, Matthews, Arter, Cornick, Fraser, Pitman, Stockley.

Cherries second half team:

Flahavan; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Harte; McDermott, MacDonald, Cargill, Wakefield; Grabban, Thomas.