Ipswich Town v AFCB
3 April 2015
Attendance: 22,672 (including 963 AFCB fans)
AFCB fans hoped that Kenwyne Jones would have an impact when he came to the south coast for the run-in. The script was written for him with the Cherries trailing and just 11 minutes left of the 90 when the Trinidadian came on. Within a couple of minutes though he was celebrating with his new teammates having stolen in at the near post and held off a couple of challenges to get his first Bournemouth goal with a header into the top corner of the net.
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| AFCB battle hard and may just find that a point was a good result at Portman Road. |
Ipswich made three pages with Chaplow moving to the bench despite getting the winner at Watford, replaced by Sears. Fryers and Bishop also came into their starting line up, while McGoldrich and Anderson were on the bench along with Chris Wood who had started Ipswich's last match.
It was the worst possible start for the Cherries who fell behind as early as the sixth minute to a Freddie Sears shot from seven yards, after Darryl Murphy had evaded a tackle from three AFCB players on the left side of the box. The first half was set up then with the Cherries chasing the game and Ipswich then finding it difficult to get much possession. AFCB responded well though with a dominant first half performance. Surman's early square ball right across the six yard box with no AFCB player running on to it was just a sign of how the Cherries would play, with not everyone quite on the same wavelength. The accurate shooting just wasn't there though with Arter blazing over, Brett Pitman hitting a shot straight at Bailkowski and Ryan Fraser having a glorious chance to score but driving his shot at a comfortable height for Bailkowski.
Ipswich also had some early chances with some intricate play from Murphy, Bishop and Fryers on the left side of the box but Fryers smashed his shot over. Ipswich also looked dangerous when they just played route one football with Elphick missing a ball up the middle which Murphy flicked on for Sears who volleyed wide. A more nervy moment came when Steve Cook made a last gasp tackle on Sears in the box after 22 minutes which would have been a penalty if he hadn't got contact with the ball.
Ryan Fraser was proving hard for Ipswich to contain, so much so that Chambers was yellow carded for a foul on the Bournemouth winger on 24 minutes, although I thought that harsh. Mistakes were likely to cost some one dearly and Pitman so nearly capitalised on a poor pass by Bishop, but when AFCB did hit the target Bailkowski was always there.
A penalty claim by Pitman on the edge of the box with Skuse was correctly ignored. Arter's frustration saw him yellow carded on 39 minutes for a body check on Tabb and Wilson's fall between Berra and smith was again never going to be a penalty, as it looked like he merely slipped. Even Ritchie's trademark shot coming in from the right only brought the best out in Bailkowski and Fraser was having one of those days when he struck the follow up over.
The second half was perhaps less creative at first, but the pattern of play was the same with Bournemouth pressing for the equaliser and Ipswich repelling every attack, while hoping to catch a second goal. Daniels and Arter both had early shots saved in the centre of the goal and Wilson also could only find Bailkowski when he shot at goal. It was tough going and Bishop was replaced by Chaplow on 57 minutes as fresh legs were needed by Ipswich to quell the sustain forward play of the Cherries.
Ipswich's attacks were sporadic and few in number but Varney did see his volley from Chambers miss high to the left of Boruc's goal. AFCB's first change came on 64 minutes when Pitman was subbed for Yann Kermorgant, but as time moved on Eddie Howe brought on Adam Smith for Ryan Fraser as well as Kenwyne Jones for Steve Cook. Ipswich also replaced the hard working Freddie Sears with loan signing Chris Wood. While Luke Varney saw his next effort saved by Boruc, AFCB knew time was running out.
The introduction of Kenwyne Jones did the trick though as he put the Cherries back level with a brave header at the near post following a corner from Matt Ritchie. It was now down to the last eight minutes and yet neither side could grab that late winner. Matthew Clarke did come on for Luke Varney as the clock ran down and in extra time the Cherries almost claimed three points with Kermorgant and Smith forcing Bailkowski into action again, but it was a point each in this enticing Championship run-in.
Summary
It was a point that could be vital and AFCB will have been pleased to have got something from the game even thought they slip down to second in the table. I was told that Ipswich have only lost three goals at home all season just before the game, so I knew this could be a really stern test for the Cherries who had won 10 on the road and were looking to add to that to reclaim top spot at the top of the Championship. The Cherries are now seven unbeaten with just six games to go. They have to make their possession and their shots count in the remaining games.
AFCB
Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook (Jones 79), Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Fraser (Smith 78), Pitman (Kermorgant 65), Wilson
AFCB Subs
Camp, Smith, Ward, Gosling, MacDonald, Kermorgant, Jones
AFCB Ratings
Boruc 6, Francis 7, Elphick 6, Cook 6, Daniels 6, Ritchie 7, Arter 6, Surman 7, Fraser 7, Pitman 6, Wilson 7
Ipswich
Bialkowski, Chambers, Smith, Berra, Fryers, Bishop (Chaplow 57), Skuse, Tabb, Sears (Wood 79), Varney (Clarke 90), Murphy
Ipswich Subs
Gerken, McGoldrick, Anderson, Chaplow, Clarke, Wood, Williams
Referee: Robert Madley 8/10
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