Late Stanislas show at the Vitality stuns Everton 3-3

Match Report

AFCB 3 v 3 Everton

27 November 2015
Attendance: 11,228

Junior Stanislas repays the fans with a brace.

A late rally by the Cherries saw them make an incredible comeback in the last gasp seconds of added on time to snatch a point, when it looked like Ross Barkley had secured all three points for the Toffees with his strike that had put Everton 2-3 up in added on time. Where the extra time came from after Everton's last goal is a question that Roberto Martinez will agonise over, but don't suppose that AFCB did not deserve this draw. 

Everton had gone ahead after Funes Mori headed in unopposed from a corner on 25 minutes and that lead was doubled when Lukaku raced his way by Steve Cook and blasted in his shot past Federici. It seemed ominous at 0-2 down at half time, but with Ryan Allsop coming on in goal and Adam Smith replacing Steve Cook the Cherries set about their task with real belief. Josh King was unplayable at times and when the goals came they were a bit special, starting with Adam Smith powering a shot from 25 yards past Tim Howard and into the top coroner with 10 minutes to go. A second Cherries goal tied it all up with Junior Stanislas sliding in from six yards as he got on the end of a Josh King cross. But nothing had prepared the crowd for extra time when Everton had it all sown up only to see two points dropped, when Charlie Daniels ended a determined run with a cross that Junior Stanislas powered into the net with a flying header. It was sensational, a beautifully created move and the Vitality Stadium was ringing with jubilation as the home fans celebrated a breathtaking finish to the game.

The players line up.

The two captains in the middle.

There was an unchanged AFCB team named for this game from the previous Swansea match. Eddie was giving faith to those who had earned the Cherries a draw in Wales and it had already been made known that Pugh and Boruc would not be available for there returns yet.

 
Jason Tindall gives the team news.

There are more photos on Match Day Gallery

Kone, Bartley and Stone.

The Cherries warming up.

I sat down to take my chair for this game wondering whether it would be the same old story. AFCB to dominate large parts of the game only to see a side with quality strikers score when the Cherries made a mistake. As it was, I was encouraged by the first 20 minutes. The Cherries were taking the game to Everton and while there was the odd misplaced pass it was the Cherries who went close first with Stanislas jinking his way into the box and sliding a pass to Dan Gosling who shot agonisingly just wide of the far post. Only three minutes later it was Stanislas who was the provider again, but this time for Matt Ritchie who tried a curling shot from the edge of the box with his left foot that was struck right at Tim Howard.

Everton were going to be combative for sure. In the middle of the park they had Ross Barkley who was built like a bull compared to the lightweight cut of the Cherries and on the right was the fast footed Gerard Deulofeu who was going to give Charlie Daniels a match to remember.

King and Ritchie were probing to make a killer pass and it looked as though Gosling may have done just that for Josh King when the No 17 striker let go a drive that Howard had to be sharp to save, down to his right on 13 minutes.

Everton were not going to sit back. They soon had a corner won by the mischievous Deulofeu and while Federici punched clear, it was as he landed that his ankle seemed to give him a problem, while Steve Cook also went down injured on the edge of the box. The stretcher was made ready and it looked doubtful whether Federici could continue, but he tested his ankle and decided he could go on. This stoppage though broke the rhythm that AFCB had worked so hard to set and Everton started to build more pressure with another corner.

Things started to go horribly wrong when Simon Francis then messed up a headed clearance knocking it straight into the path of Arouna Kone who got his snap shot away, but only found Federici who made a save on the angle at the near post. The following corner almost opened the scoring as Lukako headed the ball at the far post back towards goal and Federici and Josh King managed to clear the ball off the line. Everton were in control now and forcing Federici to test not only his ankle but also his reflexes and shot stopping agility. James McCarthy then brought out another save by Federici on his right side.

AFCB were hanging on, but from the corner at the back was Ramiro Funes Mori who leapt high and powered a headed back across goal to Federici's top right corner. It was like an arrow and hit the back of the net - Everton were 0-1 up. Again the Cherries had let a goal in from a set piece.

It would be easy for the AFCB player's heads to go down but Surman and Gosling were still channelling balls forward and King was racing here there and everywhere to try and make something out of nothing.

Then on 36 minutes, Everton broke down the right with Deulofu supplying Lukako with a run at Steve Cook. While Cook did what he could to slow down the powerhouse striker, he just could not deal with the pace and power and with Federici to beat, Lukaku smashed his shot in at the near post and the Cherries were 0-2 down. It looked like history repeating itself again, small mistakes that were getting punished - were Everton just too powerful for the Cherries to contain?

Steve Cook almost lifted the home side when he came really close to scoring with a header that was just cleared off the line in time by John Stones from an AFCB corner. The game stopped for a while as the fourth official had a word with the referee but we'll never know what the problem was. The last five minutes of the half saw Josh King offering himself for the ball most admirably in the tightest of positions with Everton players always around him, and Harry Arter taking a go at a swiped volley that fell well wide of the target. With Gosling hitting his pass too long and out for a goal kick, nothing was quite coming off for the Cherries and a 0-2 scoreline reflected the shots on target and accuracy of Everton over AFCB's attempts on goal.

The first appearance of Annabelle Bear.

Ryan Allsop comes off to go on at half time.

Second half
Eddie Howe made two subs at half time enforced by Adam Federici's ankle swelling up and Steve Cook also replaced as a tactical change. On came Ryan Allsop to make his Premier League debut in goal and Adam Smith to add energy to the right back position with Simon Francis moving over to centre back. I was worried for Ryan and his nerves, but I needen't have worried. Ryan got some early touches as the Cherries kept the ball at the back, and he settled into teh game well.

Not a lot was happening up front though apart from Ritchie's tame shot right at Tim Howard on 50 minutes. Everton were also not getting clear strikes on goal with Seamus Coleman seeing his shot deflected and easy for Allsop to gather. The referee Kevin Friend was starting to come in for some stick from the home fans with his free kick decisions, Adam Smith being the usual casualty. Things livened up further though when Arter, in the box, found Daniels who hit his shot sweetly only for Howard to save to his right, just before the hour.

At the other end Lukaku was beating the ground having missed a headed chance from one of Coleman's crosses. The Cherries were battling well though with King in particular taking the fight to Everton and Stanislas taking aim and winning a corner from a deflected shot. The Cherries were playing some good stuff again with Gosling and Stanislas making life difficult, even if John Stone was always there to clear up for Everton.

Martinez had to make a change though with his midfield becoming less effective. On came Tom Cleverly on 68 minutes for James McCarthy. The Cherries' luck was not getting any better though as Ritchie struck a clean volley only right at Tom Howard from the penalty spot. The wind had blown lots of litter on the pitch by now and the AFCB players were having to avoid that as well as the tackles that were reigning in now. Arter found it hard to get up after one of them and had to go off on 76 minutes as Glenn Murray came on.

Josh King was still astounding everyone as he kept close control and beat two players on his way into the box. But it was a corner won by Stanislas that led to the Cherries' first goal.  The ball came back out from the near post to Adam Smith, who was wide on the right, and while he was some distance outside the box he moved forward and shaped himself for a shot. The crowd willed him to shoot and he obliged with a stunning shot that soared into the top right corner of Everton's net! It was 1-2 and 10 minutes to go - game on!

The goal had an immediate lifting benefit for AFCB. The players strode forward in even more deliberate ambition and when Adam Smith went sprawling to the ground in the box, the shouts for a penalty were raucous. The referee said no though and Dan Gosling went furious after Kevin Friend then gave a free kick to Everton. Dan was of course in the book for that.

When Ritchie, Surman and King built up a move though for the fast running Daniels coming up on the overlap, everyone held their breath as the full back swung his leg back and shot a volley just wide on 85 minutes. Had Everton escaped? Well, not for long as King took on Galloway and a sharp cross found Junior Stanislas gambling on arriving at the right time and he steered his shot past Tim Howard to deafening shouts from the home crowd, 2-2 on 87 minutes! He celebrated by diving full length near the corner flag - the Cherries were happy with a point.

Five minutes of added time seemed about right, but what unfolded in that time and perhaps a bit more was unbelievable. A big scramble in AFCB's box saw Ross Barkley and Kone in the middle of the action. The ball got stuck around Coleman but fell kindly to Barkley who smashed home the ball when it ran free to make it 2-3. Everton's fans went delirious. Surely their team had one. It was to be another tough lesson for the Cherries we thought.

With the restart held up by another sub, as Gibson came on for Kone, it was probably Martinez's first mistake as it allowed the referee to give the Cherries a few more seconds. All I remember then was Adam Smith coming across field to pick out Charlie Daniels who raced down the left flank and put in another fabulous cross that was gobbled up by the on rushing Junior Stanislas, who had headed it in to make it 3-3. What had we just seen? It was a comeback of epic proportions.

So many GOALS!

Bournemouth and Everton players at the final whistle.

Adam Smith is congratulated by the staff.

Summary
It's hard to know where to start. At home and 0-2 down by half time, and lucky perhaps that Everton had not found top gear, it was a difficult place to be at the Vitality on half time. The injuries to Cook, Federici and Arter are all very unwelcome at this stage, but for the moment Eddie Howe will be able to celebrate a fantastic battling performance by his players who never gave up and took an inform Everton side right to the final round. It may not have been a heavyweight contest, but there was plenty of Fury from Roberto Martinez on the final whistle and the final knockout blow from Stanislas will give AFCB players the confidence they need going into the next blockbuster games against Chelsea and Man Utd.

AFCB Team
Federici, Francis, Cook, Distin, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Gosling, Surman, Stanislas, King

AFCB Subs
Allsop, Bennett, Smith, O'Kane, MacDonald, Kermorgant, Murray

AFCB Ratings
Federici 7, Francis 5, Cook 6, Distin 6, Daniels 8, Ritchie 7, Arter 6, Gosling 6, Surman 6, Stanislas 9, King 8

Another strong performance from Josh King.

Allsop with Dan Gosling and Eddie Howe looking on. 

Adam Smith with Shaun MacDonald.

Everton
Howard, Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Galloway, McCarthy (Cleverley 68), Barry, Deulofeu (Lennon 86), Barkley, Koné (Gibson 97), Lukaku

Everton Subs
Robles, Gibson, Mirallas, Lennon, Naismith, Cleverley, Osman

Ref Watch Kevin Friend: He was no body's friend and really wound the AFCB players up with his decisions as well as the crowd. Yet the game was thrilling and he gave the Cherries time to have on last attack, following an Everton pitch invasion, so I'll give him 5/10.