Cherries pegged back twice by Derby 2-2

Match Report

AFCB 2 v 2 Derby County

10 February 2014

Attendance 11,031

The captains in the middle.

Honours were even in this crunch top of the table match, but AFCB slip to second in the Championship as a result of Middlesbrough winning late on 1-2 at Blackpool. Built up as the biggest match of the season for the Cherries, it was quite a nervy start with passes going astray and Derby pressing high up the pitch that put the Cherries out of their stride. Matt Ritchie opened up the scoring though on 12 minutes with a beautifully worked goal. While Chris Martin had departed with a pulled hamstring, Derby were not shy at having shots at goal and on half an hour the Rams equalised through Tom Ince's drive from just inside the box. Yet, when Callum Wilson broke free on 44 minutes to put the Cherries back ahead it looked like AFCB would extend their lead at the top of the table. However, a second half rescue strike by Darren Bent brought the scores level again and you get the feeling that this battle is going all the way to the end of the season.

Terry and Andy give their pre-match Derby views.

Derby fans brought their large flag again - always good to see.

The lights were on at Dean Court.

Eddie Howe did not make any changes to the starting 11, but Junior Stanislas came back into the 18 as Rantie was absent from the bench. More pictures will be put up on Match Day Gallery later tonight.

Derby players just before kick off.

AFCB player prepare for the start.

AFCB knew this would be one of the hardest games of the season and Derby came out of the blocks meaning business and hounding the AFCB players into several early mistakes. Artur Boruc for the second home match in a row could not get his kicking right and Will Hughes and Jeff Hendick were cutting out passes well and retaining possession for Derby.  Tom Ince took a pot shot from distance but it went straight to Artur Boruc. While Boruc was having problems with his kicking, at the other end Lee Grant had trouble knowing where his penalty box ended and handled outside the box having dropped the ball when trying to clear his area. He escaped without any punishment expect for a free kick, but was spared his blushes when Kermorgant shot over.

Derby were less fortunate a few moments later when AFCB attacked down the right and Callum Wilson's cross was well cushioned on Yann Kermorgant's chest into the path of Matt Ritchie who buried his shot in the bottom left corner from 12 yards to give AFCB the lead. Matters then got worse for Derby when Chris Martin hobbled off with a hamstring pull and Darren Bent took his place.

There was no respite from the fast pace being set and Derby almost got back on 17 minutes when Will Hughes had Boruc diving at full stretch, spilling the ball and having to clear with his legs before Darren Bent could get the rebound. Will Hughes was causing problems and chipped a good ball through to Bent again and Brouc had to save at his near post when he might have expected an offside flag.

AFCB had not really slipped into their usual flowing style and yet they were creating chances with Ritchie having a shot blocked bu Buxton on 28 minutes that looked destined for the corner of the goal. Wilson then had a near post header that just slipped over the bar.

Derby were far from out of it though and they equalised when Darren Bent broke down the right wing and Steve Cook in trying to clear only bashed the ball against Bent and fell over leaving the striker to pull the ball back to the edge of the box where Tom Ince slipped passed Francis' attempted block and shot passed Boruc's left to make it 1-1.

Derby could have gone ahead on 41 minutes when Jake Buxton was presented with a bobbling ball from a corner on the six yard line but he missed his chance, shooting right at Boruc and when the ball came back out to Jamie ward Boruc could finally hold onto the ball.

AFCB got back in front though soon after with Kermorgant stretching Derby's defence up the right and pulling the ball back to Callum Wilson who made a turn and fired the ball right into the top left corner just before half time. Ritchie had another shot saved in extra time but it was 2-1 at half time.

The players come off at half time.

 Will gives an AFCB fan's view at half time with AFCB 2-1 up.

BDO Darts World Champion Scott 'Scotty Dog' Mitchell
made a guest appearance with his trophy at half time.

Second Half

Derby picked up possession more in the second half and started to run the game a bit. Pugh was doing some good covering work at the back and it took a while for Bournemouth to get some control. Derby made a sub on 66 minutes with Dawkins coming on for Ward. 

Bournemouth were on the attack though and Arter almost got Wilson  but Callum shot wide at the near post.  Following another AFCB move, Derby raced up the left wing and Dawkins crossed from the wing to find Darren Bent who turned quickly past Cook and flashed home his shot past Brouc from close range into the roof of the net to make it 2-2 on 68 minutes.

Eddie Howe tried to change things by bringing on Adam Smith on 77 minutes and Shaun MacDonald, but if anything it was Derby that were pressing for the win. Christie saw his cross driven passed Boruc's far post and then  Dawkins had a good chance go wide. Will Hughes picked up the only yellow card of the night for a foul on Callum Wilson as Bournemouth's front man broke out of defence. For a moment Harry Arter looked like he might win the game with one of his dazzling runs but he chose in the end to pass to Adam Smith on his right who had his shot deflected for a corner.

Three minutes of extra time brought not more goal mouth action but Brett Pitman did come on for Matt Ritchie.

The end of the match.

All square at the end of 90 minutes.

Eddie Howe walks onto the pitch.

Summary

A difficult game for both sides. Derby looked physically stronger but it was AFCB that looked like they could have missed the chance here to open up a gap on the Rams. But for the January signings of Tom Ince and Darren Bent I don't think Derby would have created as many problems for the Cherries, although a fit Chris Martin would have been a handful for any defence. A draw was a fair result though and what we saw is two sides who will score goals when given opportunities and that is why they are both right near the top of the table.

AFCB

Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie (Pitman 93 ), Arter, Surman, Pugh (Smith 77), Wilson, Kermorgant (MacDonald 77)

AFCB Subs
Camp, Pitman, Smith, MacDonald, Stanislas, Fraser, Ward

AFCB Ratings

Boruc 5, Francis 6, Elphick 6, Cook 5, Daniels 6, Ritchie 7, Arter 6, Surman 6, Pugh 6, Wilson 8, Kermorgant 6

Derby County

Grant, Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Hendrick, Mascarell, Hughes, Ince, Martin (Bent
15), Ward (Dawkins 66)

Derby Subs

Bryson, Dawkins, Lingard, Roos, Shotton, Warnock, Bent

Ref Watch: Mark Clattenburg 5/10