Fraser steals the show with a Capital performance

AFCB 1 v 0 Pompey

6 August 2013
Capital One Cup: First round

Attendance 7620 (Away 1354)

Bournemouth lined up for the Capital One Cup first round tie against Pompey with a very strong side. It was good to see the return of Tommy Elphick in the side along with O'Kane in midfield and McDermott and Hughes. With Thomas the only out and out striker chosen, it was interesting to see if Ryan Fraser or Andrew Surman was going to play up front with him. All the players also knew that this was another chance to press their claim to a starting place on Saturday against Watford. Bournemouth made seven changes from Saturday's winning team.

Meanwhile, quite a few fans turned up for this so-called derby but I am not sure how many had rushed back from their holidays with the sound of Euros rattling in their pockets! The South stand was empty.

Here is the action as it happened with BBC Solent commentary on Cherries Player. 

Bournemouth decided to set up with just Thomas as the loan striker and kicked towards the Ted MacDougall stand. Fraser found McDermott early after a spell of AFCB passing, but the ball sped out for a goal kick. About 1300-1400 Pompey fans were said to make the trip - not a bad guess.

McDermott and Francis linked up well and won the first corner for AFCB after three minutes. Harte then delivered the ball and it was headed away by Bradley. Fraser tried to find Thomas and it was another corner to the Cherries in the first five minutes. Cook got a header in but the keeper read it.

Butler and Ageymang linked up well with Holmes getting a shot off on the left hand side and Elphick got a block in for a Pompey corner on 7 minutes. Wallace then sent a cross in but Bradley's headed effort went well over.

Hughes was trying to pass his way through the Pompey defence but Thomas was being heavily marked. O'Kane almost got in but N'Gala got in a tackle.

Pompey then had a corner on 12 minutes, but AFCB had a free kick when Allsop went down. Butler then had a free kick from the half way line for Pompey, which went on the long diagonal to Agyeman, but AFCB tidied things up. Fraser started on the left tonight with McDermott on the right.

16 minutes gone and it was still 0:0 with no serious goal attempts. Ageyman had an audacious effort on 17 minutes but Allsop managed to keep it out. Francis cross with a deflection almost reached Surman, but went out for a corner. Harte and Fraser with Thomas just heading over from Fraser's cross.

Harte and Fraser were working well down the left and Fraser was giving Devera all kinds of trouble. East and Bradley were both signed from Hull City this summer by Pompey announced Solent - they love a bit of reserach. Portsmouth have defended well so far.

McDermott tried a shot blocked by Butler, before East received a yellow for his challenge on Ryan Fraser. 25 minutes gone and still no danger at either end. With AFCB trying to play five in midfield it was said to be very congested in there.  Ricky Holmes then received a yellow for an unfair challenge on Eunan O'Kane.

Ageyman and Wallace then linked up attacking the North end and won a corner. A second corner followed for Pompey which was taken short, but Padovani made a mess of it.

30 minutes gone and still stalemate. Devera was next to bring down Fraser. McDermott and Surman linked up and off N'Gala before the keeper picked it up. Holmes tried to get a cross in but it hit Elphick for another Pompey corner, but Craddock was penalised for pushing.

Francis cross to far post but Devera chested it out for a Cherries corner, 12 minutes to half time. Francis nearly got there but Devera slid in to get in a block. Bradley was heading out well and Holmes picked up possession in midfield.

Bulter was booked as he ran the ball away, although it was not really time wasting. Fraser and McDermott tried swapping wings with Pompey having their best spell. Padovani's shot almost cleared the North stand with 6 and a half minutes to half time.

Hughes has kept the ball moving, Fraser has been alert but Surman and Thomas were two who had not had a lot of service said BBC Solent. Fraser had a cross that went for another corner with five minutes to the break. McDermott almost got a header in at the back post but could not get it on target despite out jumping Devera.

Jed Wallace crossed well in his gold boots but Surman blocks for a throw in to Pompey on the right. East fed in a cross to Craddock between the centre halves, but he could not complete the move.

Harte could have been played in, if McDermott had not given the ball away on the break. Thomas tried to spin through having been played in by O'Kane, but Bradley got a foot in for another Cherries corner. Harte aimed for the near post but there was no one there and a goal kick resulted.

Elphick gave the ball away coming forward but Padovani also then gave it away. Elphick picked up a yellow for unsporting bahaviour. Francis and Fraser then went on the overlap and Thomas mis-queued and Surman had a follow up chance but the keeper made a great save top right for a corner. Smith again palm it away from Fraser and another save made. Another melay in the Pompey goal but Pompey scramble it away some how. Phil Smith certainly saved Pompey. So 0:0 at half time.

Second half
One up front is not working for the Cherries but will they change it? McDermott started back on the left and Fraser on the right. Still no one seems to be able to get on the end of his crosses.

Harte crossed deep from the left as well but could not find a striker. Elphick has looked a bit suspect according to the Solent commentary team. Craddock found East in the box and Francis and Elphick got in a mix and it went for a corner. 

Fraser caught every one knapping to find Enunan O'Kane in the centre who could simply put the Cherries 1: 0 up, coming deep from midfield. The ball was stabbed high into the roof of the net by O'Kane - GOAL. Butler at left back did not see Fraser running in and he picked O'Kane out well on 53 minutes.

Jed Wallace then picked up a booking just after the restart.There was a quick rendition of 'Keep the Red flag flying high' and 'Eddie Howe's Barmy Army' in goal celebration. 

Pompey in blue and white were still playing well, but had not worked the goal keeper. Fraser again running at his man has a shot that deflects of East for a corner. Fraser is by far Bournemouth's man of the match so far.

With Wes Thomas and Devera falling over in a heap the ref points to a goal kick. O'Kane was playing further forward now as well as Surman. It is the only way one up front would work, according to Solent. Another Solent fact, Pompey had not won at Dean Court since October 1989!  A Pompey corner might have threatened to change that stat but again it came to nothing.

Fraser was so far ahead of play at one point when he looked up he was past everyone and had to wait for Surman to catch up. Surman then pulled his shot wide!

Popmey brought a sub on with Ferry going into midfield and East going to left back to try and halt Ryan Fraser. Dan Butler leaves the action on 64 minutes. As Fraser went down again, Bournemouth had another free kick to be taken by Harte with 66 minutes gone. Surman got wide and on the end of it but there was not much pace on the shot.

Surman in his orange boots was starting to see more of the ball. There were still no subs coming on for AFCB.  Jed Wallace then came off with Barcham coming after 71 minutes and also on came Bird for Ageyman on 72 minutes.

Wes Thomas then came off and was replaced by Daniels on 72 minutes with McDermott playing up front and Daniels playing on the left flank in front of Harte.

Boournemouth were playing keep ball well now and Surman made Smith make a save for yet another corner on 76 minutes. 

Barcham was striding away but was taken down by Hughes and was given a yellow card on 78 minutes. Holmes took the kick which found Craddock with a free header but Allsop saved.

Fraser on the right again stood a cross up but no one was there for the Cherries. In the last 10 minutes Bournemouth kept the passing crisp with the Cherries camped in Pompey's half. Arter was now warming up and was stripped for action.

Daniels chopped back a pass for O'Kane but he swivelled and shot well wide. Arter then came on for Surman in the last 8 minutes. Ricky Holmes then had a good chance, but Allsop made the save look easy when Pompey could have squared things up.

East was now on the left and Barcham on the right. Padovani gets a shot in and a corner results. Pompey line up with five on the edge of the box but Allsop gets a fist on the box. Shaun MacDonald then came on for Ryan Fraser. Simon Francis was given man of the match by the sponsors - not Ryan Fraser! Very confusing.

Arter picks up the loose ball and gives it to Daniels who wriggles his way up the pitch for a corner. It's taken short and O'Kane and MacDonald waste a bit of time. Arter almost makes it two but the keeper makes another good save. Another corner to the Cherries is wasted.

Holmes on the right side made a sideways cross as he ran out of steam. Four minutes of extra time. Charlie Daniels again is ploughing forward. AFCB get another corner.

It ends here AFCB 1: 0 Pompey.

The draw for the next round is on Thursday lunch time.

Goals: Eunan O'Kane 53 minutes 

AFCB
Allsop, Cook, Fraser (MacDonald 87), Harte, Elphick, Francis, Thomas (Daniels 73), O'Kane, McDermott, Surman (Arter 83), Hughes.

Subs: Flahavan, Arter, MacDonald, Addison, Matthews, Stockley, Daniels

Pompey
Smith, Devera, Bradley, N'Gala, Butler (Ferry 65), Wallace (Barchman 71), East, Padovani, Holmes, Craddock, Agyemang (Bird 72)

Subs: Sullivan, Moutaouakil, Ferry, Barcham, Connolly, Bird, Harris