Blackpool 0 v 1 AFCB
8 March 2014
Attendance:13,043 (612 AFCB fans)
It was reported that Balckpool were keeping the grass long and dampening the pitch ahead of AFCB's visit in an attempt to slow down the Cherries fast flowing football, but it didn't end up that way. AFCB steered themselves to a hard earned 1-0 victory away from home and they go another game closer to safety after back-to-back wins.
There were quite a few changes to be made with injuries and rotation taking its toll on team selection decisions. Eddie Howe's decision was made easy with Yann Kermorgant's heel injury that was kept quiet since the Doncaster Rovers game. That meant that if he wanted to keep his positive 4-4-2 set up it was a straight choice between Rantie and Pitman, and Brett won his first starting place since the QPR game in December, if you discount the Burton FA Cup game. Arter also did not travel with the squad having a calf muscle strain on Thursday and Eunan O'Kane came back into the team, while Fraser kept his place ahead of Coulibaly and Pugh and Richard Hughes was drafted in the subs line up along with Shaun MacDonald.
For Blackpool's team, Freguson made two changes. In came Isaiah Osbourne and Chris Basham, while Martinez and Chopra did not make the squad and Haroun was dropped to the bench.
Match Description: Listening to BBC Radio Solent with Kris Temple and Willo
First Half
Mackenzie put the ball out for an AFCB throw. Fuller beats Surman and it's over the top for Keogh but Harte gets there first and Camp clears. "Gavin Ward from Surrey is the referee," says Temple. Cook heads the ball out for a throw - no mask today after all.
Halliday tries a cross and AFCB come away but it's back with Gilks. Blackpool are 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 depending on if they have the ball or not, says Willo. O'Kane plays the ball out of play.
Elphick puts in a header to Pitman but its cleared with Gilks. Cook heads back to Camp. There is a bit of a breeze today. Francis has it up to Pitman but Osbourne has possession now. Fuller back to Halliday and MacKenzie back to the keeper.
O'Kane loses out to Fuller and then Basham, but O'Kane beats Keogh and Grabban wins a free kick off McKenzie. The ball for Grabban is well over hit, 5 minutes gone. Surman wins a free kick from Dobbie on half way. Elphick and O'Kane forward but Grabban is offside. Blackpool have had more of the play in the opening minutes.
AFCb have a goal kick as Blackpool's clearance goes long, 7 minutes gone. Pitman takes a high kick in the chest from Osbourne. AFCB's free kick. Fraser to Surman and Broadfoot heads away. Dobbie and Basher, Surman blocks the shot. Osbourne turns from Grabban but is forced back. AFCB closing down play here.
Blackpool's throw. Halliday and Elphick nods it out. Cook now clears. A shot comes in from Dobbie from the left but Camp makes a good save. Fuller and Osbourne, Fraser puts in a tackle. Blackpool's throw and Dobbie goes to down but not free kick for Surman's challenge. Surman now puts the ball out.
The flag goes up against Keogh for offside. Ritchie now has a touch and Ian Harte puts in a long cross but Francis puts it out." AFCB are not getting the ball down and playing as they can," says Willo. It's quite a narrow pitch today. Some 13.5 minutes gone.
Harte leaves the ball and Foley puts the ball over Francis and Fuller battle and Foley has a shot which goes for a corner. Mackenzie is not picked up for the corner on the back post but Elphick gets in the way and its wide for a goal kick. Not great marking there Cherries!
Francis wins a header over Perkins. Willo thinks AFCB have not made much of the play so far. O'Kane makes a hand ball. Fraser tracking back and Grabban is closed down and Braodfoot makes a poor tackle but it's no yellow card. Harte speaks to the referee about the challenge. Cook and Elphick go forward. Surman and Harter plays it to Grabban and Fraser's cross is cleared by Broadfoot.
18 minutes gone. Pitman plays it back to Harte who crosses and Ritchie has a shot and it's a corner. Ritchie to take. They go short, Grabban back to Ritchie and Perkins puts the ball out. Cook makes a long throw. Elphcik and Broadfoot go for the head and Keogh misses his kick to huge cheers.
Blackpool's throw is won by Surman. Ritchie now and shoots making Gilks make a smart save from 35 yards. Not quite enough pace. Grabban was following up.
Basher goes in on O'Kane, Perkins and Keogh and his cross is collected by Camp. Blackpool win back the ball. Osbourne looks for Fuller but the ball goes out. Ritchie takes another shot, left footed, hard and low but does not find the bottom corner as Gilks saves.
Keogh and Elphick clears. Grabban chasing but Makenzie is there. Halliday plays the ball up the left and the flag goes up for offside. Blackpool playing very physically says Willo. Fraser is closed down by Foley. O'Kane's clearance is back with Camp after a rebound off Dobbie.
Grabban makes a volley over his shoulder. He topped it though and it went high and wide on 25 minutes. Francis plays a ball up to Grabban but it's a handball. O'Kane did not like that decision as Grababn was looking the other way. Dobbie is tackled by O'Kane but Broadfoot wins it from Pitman. Fuller holds it up and tries to find a shot but Elphick blocks, calls for a handball in the box on Francis is waved away.
O'Kane and Francis as Halliday comes in. Ritchie to Surman and over to Harte and Francis on the back post, Gilks claims ahead of Pitman. Francis defending now plays the ball back to Camp. "It's going better now for our boys," says Willo. Basham for Keogh and Harte heads away, Basham has a volley but it's comfortable for Camp.
Osbourne misses the ball. It's with Ritchie and O'Kane and Mackenzie wins the ball. Fraser now and Foley stops the wee Scotsman. Fraser goes over to the right swapping wings with Richie. Pitman to Fraser and Francis overlaps a deep cross goes over Grabban and now it's Surman. Harte puts the ball in but Halliday clears.
Ekphcik is almost caught by Fuller. Ritchie and Harte now. AFCB win a free kick. Elphick as Blackpool close down and the ball forward is too long. Grabban on half way and Surman is caught. Fuller to the corner but Harte tackles. Perkins and Keogh but Elphick puts the ball out, 11 minute until half time.
Dobbie crosses to Basham but it's out for a goal kick. "I thought we would have opened them up more than we would have so far," says Willo. Eddie is out of the dugout. Fraser and Perkin are toe-to-toe. Elphick makes a clearance.
Eight minutes of the half left. Free kick against Fuller on Elphick for a push. Surman flicks the ball out to Ritchie and then Grabban. Grabban on the right back to Fraser and Broadfoot clears. Francis wins a header against Fuller. O'Kane and a poor pass wide of Ritchie. "Not a good day at the office at the moment," says Willo. "But we have to be patient."
Temple says, "Pitman has not really had a kick yet." "A couple of flick headers to Grabban but I'm clutching at straws," says Willo. Grabban wins the ball ahead of Broadfoot but a flick onto Broadfoot's hand is not given as a handball. Blackpool break but as AFCB win it back, Grabban is offside.
Bournemouth were scintillating last week but are struggling today. Foley goes to ground as Grabban was goal bound and it's a Blackpool free kick. Dobbie pulls the ball back across goal but Camp makes a clearance in a hurry. Luckily no Blackpool player was nearby. Cook heads out now.
Perkins and Dobbie 20 yards out, but Elphick wins the ball and Perkins is shown a yellow for a foul on Fraser. A free kick on the edge of the box - Ian Harte territory! Can he do it? It's low and into a cluster of players, Ritchie has a shot blocked by Fuller.
Elphick now brings down a Blackpool player, no foul but a throw in. Fraser on half way and Francis to Pitman and Osbourne and O'Kane battle. Camp kicks out wildly. Blackpool have a throw. Francis wins the header and it's 0-0 and a difficult first 45 with tricky conditions. Willo expects five in midfield second half or Rantie to come on, but he expects Eddie Howe to change the formation.
Only a couple of long shots from Ritchie have made Gilks do any work. There is nothing between the teams 6 shots to AFCB's 7 and 1 Blackpool shot on target and two for the Cherries and just one corner each. Possession was 48 to 52 per cent in favour of AFCB.
Half Time
Balckpool have no keepers on the bench.No subs at half time, so as you were. Pitman plays the ball across the field but Grabban gets the ball ahead of the keeper and it's a penalty as Gilks takes him down. No red from the keeper just a yellow. Grabban puts the Cherries 0-1 up from the spot!
Blackpool come storming forward but Cook comes across for a corner. Fuller comes for the ball but it goes harmlessly out of play. "Blackpool have managed four goals in their last 11 games," says Temple. Ritchie is still playing on the left and Fraser on the right.
50 minutes gone as Fuller's shot is saved by Grabban up to Fraser and he goes to ground with a trip but no penalty. The AFCB players were quite animated there.
Ritchie and Pitman and a low cross into Grabban but Perkins clears. Fuller is down. Dobbie and Basham now Fuller's shot high and almost into the newly built Blackpool Hotel. Willo is having problems with his headphones. "14 times AFCB score first and they don't lose!" says Temple.
Harte and Ritchie make a clearance. Grabban is onside and looks for Fraser but his shot is blocked and Dobbie passes to Keogh with Elphhick and it's a corner. Nine minutes gone in the second half Francis defends from Fuller. Perkins and Dobbie and offside, no a corner! Osbourne battles with Grabban but the ball goes out of play.
Halliday's cross and Camp does not stop it from going out for another corner. Camp makes a good take with plenty of Blackpool players piling in. Pugh is getting ready to come on and Fraser goes off after 57 minutes. Pugh goes over to the left wing and Ritchie comes over to the right.
Elphick heads it up to Pugh but Broadfoot has it and Grabban is then fouled by Mackenzie. Harte to Pugh who runs at Foley but Gilks claims the ball. Halliday puts it out of play. Ritchie now and Elphick up to Pitman and Ritchie with Halliday winning the ball and Osbourne.
Keogh loses out to Pugh. Grabban tracks back and O'Kane runs into Osbourne and Harte clears. Camp clears to Basham who shoots and it goes out for a throw! 16 minutes gone in the second half. Elphick powers a header forward. Five clean sheets so far for AFCB can they make it six?
Camp's done nothing wrong so far says Willo he looks pretty assured. Davies comes on and off goes Keogh on 63 minutes.
Halliday has a chance to shoot but its for or five feet wide of the post. Perkins is hunted down by Pitman. Perkins again though and Osbourne to Foley. Basham is the target and there's a poor pass. "Eddie Howe's barmy Army," rings out.
Rantie is warming up. Grabban and Pitman down goes Pitman and Broadfoot gets the yellow card. Grabban was in there and was tripped. The free kick is only two yards outside the box. Harte and Pitman stand over the ball, 69 minutes gone. Pitman blasts it high and wide.
Elphick has gone down from Fuller's challenge but the referee stops play. A contested drop ball and Backpool win a free kick. Dobbie is getting ready to hit this, dead centre 27 yards.A four man wall and it's straight into the wall as O'Kane blocks. It's all getting a bit fractious. Mackenzie and Harte eyeing each other up.
Chris Basham comes off and Faris Haroun comes on after 72 minutes. Dobbie slips and nutmegs Elphick but O'Kane clears. Haroun to Broadfoot and up to Davies but Harte wins a throw in. Pitman looks for Grabban but Perkins has it and Osbourne and Francis has it. Francis and Grabban, back to Francis. Pitman and Grabban in the box but it comes off Grabban for a goal kick. "That was a lung busting run from Francis," says Temple.
Pitman and Ritchie with Francis outside and its an AFCB throw. Ritchie has a shot but it's a low save from Gilks. Pitman forward with Grabban chasing and keeps it on. He beats Broadfoot and wins a corner.Only the second of the afternoon for AFCB. Golks fumbles and Elphick and Broadfoot wrestle behind the keepr but it's out for a throw. Ian Harte is struggling. Foley is also off the pitch and Pugh goes for goal but Gilks saves.
Blackpool take off Foley on 78 minutes and Craig Cathcart comes on. Haroun's cross is cleared. "AFCB have let 10 points go from winning positions this season," says Temple. Harte does not look quite right, but the dugout looks relaxed about it.
Fuller and Cathcart, cook with a shank and Dobbie's shot loops up off Francis into Camp's hands. Blackpool have a corner. To the back post and it's a goal kick.
Davies over half way and Elphick gets a tackle on Haroun. Pitman wins a free kick. Six and a half minutes of the 90 to go. Pitman and Pugh and Osbourne clears. Ritchie puts the ball out of play after a bobble. Gilks has the ball now. Fives minutes to go.
Osbourne to Davies and Pugh challenges. Perkins is Blackpool's best player to day and Elphick has done best fro AFCB, say Willo and temple. Francis has also done well today according to Willo. Halliday and Cook clears. Grabban past Broadfoot but Cathcart is there. Pitman is injured. The away supporters are said to be pouring out of the ground.
Ritchie plays the ball over the top but it's out of play. Elphick wins the header. Pitman puts the ball out. Davies runs into Elphick and the ball runs through to Camp. Davies puts the ball out. "Bournemouth till I die."
Four minutes of extra time. Surman gets a touch and Eddie Howe stops the ball near the dugout as it goes out. Free kick to Blackpool just over half way. Halliday plays it up and Pitman heads clear. Throw comes in Haroun keeps the ball alive and Dobbie left footed cross to Mackenzie and his header is wide. "Barmy Army".
Elphick shoves Davies to the ground but it's through to Camp. One minute left. Halliday smashes it long and Pugh has it chased by Haroun. "Tommy Elphick" is shouted out now. Plenty of character and spirit from our lads today says Willo. AFCB looking to grind it out. It's all over 0-1. Lot's of boos from the Blackpool crowd. Hugs and high fives from AFCB players.
A great result for the boys today. back-to-back wins and a clean sheet. Eddie Howe will be pleased with that. AFCb move up to 15th in the table.
AFCB
Camp, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Harte, Ritchie, O'Kane, Surman, Fraser (Pugh 57), Pitman and Grabban
AFCB Subs
Allsop, Smith, Hughes, MacDonald, Coulibaly, Pugh, Rantie
Blackpool
Gilks, Foley (Cathcart 78), Broadfoot, Mackenzie, Halliday, Basham (Haroun 72) Perkins, Bacham, Dobbie, Keogh (Davies 63), Fuller
Blackpool Subs
Cathcart, Bishop, Angel, Grandin, Haroun, Davies, Goodwillie
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