AFCB's home hoodoo lifted

A home win is always important. Beating a derby rival is all the sweeter, but the victory against Yeovil Town has really now set the tone for the second half of the season. It is the first time that an AFCB crowd have gone home having been treated to a goal spree and a clean sheet. Somehow I reckon the Cherries faithful would like to see that kind of display again and they may well do in only a few days time when Ipswich Town come visiting Dean Court.

The hoodoo has mainly been the Cherries inability to get the first goal when playing at home and to capitalise on it. So often we have seen good and even not so good Championship teams simply get behind the ball and wait for a lapse or individual error from an AFCB player to get themselves ahead and shut up shop. But perhaps AFCB are starting to grasp that nettle and yank it up by the roots. If AFCB go ahead in games there is not much fear that they will get caught, but go a goal down and the team has found it difficult to find ways of opening up the opposition. 

AFCB can get ready for a sprint in the second half of the season.

Against Ipswich it could be quiet a different test to Yeovil. Ipswich are unlikely to allow Eddie Howe's men much time on the ball. They may well press us high up the pitch and will no doubt look to secure a fair amount of possession. Yet, AFCB have shown that they can create chances and play football of the highest calibre. They now have to do it at home against a quality team currently in the top seven. Keeping the run going is not going to be easy and the Cherries may need some luck, but if they do get another three points on Sunday and reach 31 points for half way through the season, that will be a fabulous return in their first season back in the Championship.

I keep wondering which of my predictions is likely to be closer to where the Cherries will finish this season. At times they play like a top 12 team and yet on other days they are more like a team who would finish no better than say about 18th. Putting a few runs together will make all the difference as to which outcome we could see. A few two or three game winning streak catapults you up the league, but if the Cherries do go on and get points against Ipswich and Brighton the AFCB roller coaster season would be hurtling back up the tracks, to where the best teams are in this league. Hold on tight. UTCIAD!