Spurs hit Cherries for five again

Match Report

25 October 2015

AFCB 1 v 5 Tottenham Hotspur

Attendance: 11,332

The teams come out with the media looking on.

If last week's humbling was not enough of a reality check then this week the Cherries surely felt spanked as Spurs netted five times to take all three points at the Vitality stadium. Harry Kane scored a hat-trick and Spurs looked every bit a class side, and yet they were the team that was 1-0 down after just 50 seconds of the match. That was because Matt Ritchie had scored his second Premier League goal of the season, after profiting from a Charlie Daniels cross. Sadly, the Cherries could only hold on to the lead for eight minute. Once Artur Boruc had brought down Kane in the box, the England striker picked himself up to get Spurs rolling. Mousa Dembele put them in front after 17 minutes and a mistake by Boruc dropped the ball at Erik Lamela's feet so that he could make it 1-3 before half time. The goals continued with Kane completing his hat-trick with second half strikes, but the worry for Eddie Howe is how is he going to repair the damage done by two successive heavy defeats that have seen 10 goals go in against AFCB?

Handshakes to start the day off.

Pete and Sara talk about Spurs before the game
(some sound problems on the video).

While AFCB fans waited to see what changes might be made to the starting line up after the punishment given out at Man City, there was only the return of Artur Boruc in goal, Pugh in midfield and King up front. Eunan O'Kane, Adam Ferderici and Adam Smith were moved to the bench. There was a first bench appearance for Tokelo Rantie as well. But there was still no Harry Arter.

Spurs get ready.

AFCB in a huddle.

The captains.

More pictures are available to see on Match Day Gallery.

AFCB fans could not have imagined a better start with Charlie Daniels whipping in a cross that found Matt Ritchie unmarked at the far post, and having time to bring the ball under his control and on to his left foot before firing past Hugo Lloris at his near side, left-hand, post. The Cherries has made a stunning start in just 50 seconds and we were jumping for joy!

The crowd was pumped and it seemed like it would be a big home performance as the Spurs players started arguing with each other over the goal. Yet, seven minutes later Christian Eriksen slipped a simple ball through for Kane to run onto on the left side of AFCB's penalty box and as Boruc came out he stood on Harry Kane's foot which was enough for the forward to hit the turf and referee Rodger East could not wait to point to the spot, despite Boruc's protests. On replays it was hard to argue with the decision. Kane did not hit the shot that cleanly, but it was straight down the middle and the scores were level.

That had sucked a lot of the early excitement out of the Bournemouth crowd and with Josh King putting a header wide from Matt Ritchie's cross on 13 minutes the fear of missing such opportunities was already starting to get Eddie Howe scribbling down notes. Spurs were suddenly playing with confidence and knocking the ball round with ease. Murray fouled Dele Alli though and the free kick on the left was to lead to a second Tottenham goal. At first the ball was played to Danny Rose who saw his shot blocked, and it broke to Mousa Dembele in the box who strode forward and prodded the ball underneath Boruc to put the white shirts ahead.

It had unsettled the Cherries who were struggling to put their passes together in any kind of a long sequence. Charlie Daniels ballooned a shot that would not have looked out of place at the Rugby World Cup at Twickenham. At the other end Tottenham were looking for a third as Toby Alderweireld caused Boruc to pull off a great save from his header from a corner. Artur's skill and good fortune soon disappeared though come the 29th minute when Kane put in a routine cross that was simply fumbled by Boruc, and Erik Lamela was on hand to tap the ball home just like Wilfred Bony had done for Man City past Federici last week. It was 1-3 and AFCB were now leaking goals as frequently as the Autumn leaves falling from the trees.

Danny Rose was the first and only player to get a yellow card for a late foul on Matt Ritchie. There was then panic in the Bournemouth box as Steve Cook started running towards his own goal, while being pursued by Kane and Lamela, but he eventually found a route to safety.

Lloris then had a moment of madness as Josh King closed him down and almost blocked his clearance. Everything was going Tottenham's way though. They even won a corner from the referee on 45 minutes when the assistant referee had first signalled for an offside. When Pugh also got on the end of a Ritchie cross from the right he could only watch as his weak shot was easily cleared off the line. King followed up with a sharp turn and shot that then hit the post! Ritchie's effort though went wide and the score stayed 1-3 at half time.

A disappointing half for the Cherries.

Who would have believed that after the start AFCB made?

Second Half
Not a lot changed in the way the game was heading in this second half. Boruc began by throwing the ball out to Dan Gosling just in front of his own D, and he suddenly had to react by passing it straight back at Boruc. The keeper then kicked the ball against Dembele who was right on top of him, but Boruc managed at the second attempt to clear the ball to safety!

Spurs were keeping the ball fairly easily now despite the running of King and Murray and  when they did find space up the left wing with Eriksen there was no big surprise that his cross was met well by Harry Kane in front of Boruc and Distin to make it 1-4 on 56 minutes. It was all about damage limitation now.

King was withdrawn on the hour and replaced by Eunan O'Kane who played in midfield behind Murray. Stemming the goals was going to be difficult though as Kane was shooting on sight of goal now and brought out another good save from Boruc at his near post on 63 minutes. He was not to be denied though and a header from Alderweireld was spilt by Boruc, and found its way to Kane who fired in the fifth for Spurs just a minute later.

It did bring a reaction from the Cherries and Matt Ritchie hit a finger stinging shot from outside the box for Lloris to to turn over the bar.

Spurs were still not slowing their assault on the Bournemouth goal either though and Eriksen went really close by hitting the post from distance on 67 minutes. Dembele was subbed for Ryan Mason to make his return a minute later and Yann Kermorgant came on for Glenn Murray, who had again showed that he would hold the ball up well and draw fouls.

If the fans in the Ted MacDougall had not had enough shocks, Artur again dropped a ball from a Drier cross which led to quite a scramble between him and Harry Kane, before it was cleared. It did look like it should have been a penalty though as Kane was tripped by Boruc, who will have nightmares about this game. More changes meant Pugh was subbed and Adam Smith got to play the last 15 minutes for AFCB, on the left wing, against one of his former clubs. Kyle Walker was also subbed on 81 minutes to allow Kieran Trippier on and Harry Kane was subbed five minutes from the end  for Clinton Njie.

Njie came close to making it six for Spurs when Delle Ali played him in on the left but Boruc pulled off a good save to keep the score at 1-5. AFCB fans were just thankful that only 1 minute of extra time were to be played although the sudden voices coming over the PA in the last few minutes provided a bit of a distraction from fans having to take in some of the reality of what they had seen on the pitch.

Surman thanks the referee.

A good afternoon for Spurs.

Simon Francis and danny rose in the background.

Summary
AFCB can't keep having bad days at the office like this. Ten goals against in two games is only going to lead to one place, and as a matter of urgency the team must do everything it can to cut out the individual blunders, and not feel like they are going to concede two and three goals every time they let one goal in. There has to be a reaction now. We know Spurs are a good team, but how easy did AFCB make it for them on the day? Far too easy and that is the real disappointment. Defeat itself is not something the team wants to get used to, but losing by contributing hugely to large scores is something they have to find a solution to extremely quickly or they will be viewed as the whipping boys of the Premier League. Head up boys, let's get some pride back for the Cherries on Wednesday.

Not a home match AFCB will want to remember.

AFCB
Boruc, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Daniels, Ritchie, Gosling, Surman, Pugh (Smith 75), King (O'Kane 61), Murray (Kermorgant 68)

AFCB subs
Federici, Smith, Bennett, Stanislas, O'Kane, Kermorgant, Rantie

AFCB Ratings
Boruc 4, Francis 5, Cook 5, Distin 5, Daniels 6, Ritchie 8, Gosling 7, Surman 6, Pugh 6, King 5, Murray 7

Spurs
Lloris,Walker (Trippier 82), Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Alli, Lamela, Dembélé (Mason 68), Eriksen, Kane (N'Jie - 85)

Spurs subs
Vorm, Mason, N'Jie, Trippier, Townsend, Onomah, Wimmer

Ref Watch: Roger East 5/10