Everton serve up AFCB's third defeat in a row 2-1

Match Report

Everton 2 v 1 AFCB

30 April 2016

Attendance: 38,345

Welcome to Goodison.

There was a very despondent figure of Eddie Howe who encouraged his AFCB players to go and clap their supporters after this game. The Cherries yet again fell behind to an early goal in the first seven minutes when Tom Cleverly crashed a low shot past a despairing Artur Boruc. It was exactly what Roberto Martinez needed to get the crowd behind his team and yet within a couple of minutes AFCB were back on level terms thanks to a bit of underhand nudging on Pennington, courtesy of Callum Wilson, and a snap shot from Josh King that rebounded off Marc Pugh's chest, and the winger made a smart finish from six yards out. Both teams had trouble keeping the ball and the quality moment was carved out by Everton in the second half when Aaron Lennon delivered a hurried pull back from the right wing that was missed in the middle by Cleverly, but was finished off tidily by Leighton Baines into the top right corner. It was 2-1 to the toffees and another defeat for Howe's men.

ACB warm up in their 96 shirts - Hillsborough tribute.

Everton players stretch out.

Bournemouth's starting line up was a very strong one with Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie and Harry Arter making their returns to the starting 11, while Gosling was moved to the bench along with Junior Stanislas and Lewis Grabban. Everton gave debuts to Niasse up front and Pennington in defence.

Mark and Cameron talk on Everton's season.

Justice for the 96.

We will never forget the Hillsborough tragedy.

Before the game began their was a fitting tribute to the 96 who had lost their lives at Hillsborough and whose families had finally won justice for them this week. The applause was very emotional and everyone was fully respective of the relatives who pleasingly came on the pitch to signal their delight in getting the verdict that was right in the courts after such a long battle and so many lies.

There are more pictures on the Match Day Gallery.

First Half
The Cherries had a good opening with Daniels getting forward and most of the team getting on the ball. Pugh won the first corner and Elphick was getting heavy tackles in on Niasse.

Then things went very wrong. Everton took possession. Baines and Barkley tormented the Cherries around the box until Tom Cleverly took up the challenge cutting inside Francis and driving a low shot diagonally towards the far post. Elphick tried to get a block on but the ball sped past him and Boruc, who was perhaps unsighted never got down quickly enough and Everton were celebrating their lead.

While AFCB fans were still singing loudly it was a blow to see the side go behind so early. Better things were just about to happen though with the Cherries seeing the ball come to Elphick and up to Wilson, thanks to a slight hand in the back for debutant Pennington, that enabled Wilson to cross from the right. The ball fell to King and while his pass fell right into Pugh's path, the winger equalised on nine minutes at the far post. 

This gave the Cherries a big lift and Francis soon had another cross blocked by Pennington that went for a corner. Wilson was also trying to play on the last man but Howard was aware of it and cleared one of his early runs. Josh King was also finding it hard to get past Besic on the left, while Gibson was controlling things from the back for Everton.

While there had been a few fouls given to both sides Arter looked up rather confused when he was taken out by Ross Barkley and the game was allowed to continue. A moment of panic at the back for Everton could have been profitable when Besic passed a ball hurriedly back to Howard on the six yard line that left Howard wondering what to do with the ball suddenly at his feet. The American made a big clearance though just in the nick of time.

The game was well contested to this point but the quality was sketchy at best. Interceptions were common place and while shots were hit like Ritchie's effort on 27 minutes it was deflected well over and the keepers were not that busy. Steve Cook headed the resultant corner wide but it was not a powerful header.

Everton were fairing no better with Barkley coming closest for them with a shot that cleared the bar after 37 minutes. And when Naisse did play a good ball through to Barkley, Boruc was out quickly to prevent any shot. Simon Francis was making the most clearance at the back, but most eyes were on the skies as a biplane flew over with the words "Time to go Martinez" trailing behind it after it made pas after pass.

Naisse grabbed the attention back on the game when his headed flick went wide just before half time to keep the score at 1-1.

One message was coming across loud and clear!

The players walk off at half time.

Second half

The second half saw Everton bring on Hibbert at right back and sub Besic. It really seemed that this was a game that either side might snatch a victory from, but finding a quality moment might be beyond both teams. Gibson was having a good game for Everton and Wilson and King were not getting too much joy with him, Pennington and Stones shutting the door on them.

AFCB were shooting but it was normally wide.There was more concern when Steve Cook went down after bashing into Ross Barkley and while the medics came on, Cook was okay to continue. 

A moment that could have opened Everton up saw Ritchie and then Surman on the ball. Surman played the ball over to Wilson but instead of shooting he back heeled the ball perhaps looking for Pugh but it was too clever by far and only allowed Everton to clear easily.

Daniels and Pugh did their normal overlap too, only Pugh - having one the hard work - simply passed the ball off the pitch of into Daniel's path! In the next minute Wilson was back at it. Francis put in a pass to him but he turned and hit the side netting!

The pattern in the game changed when Lukaku came on for Naisse on 60 minutes. Gibson made one foul to many first though and was yellow carded after catching Ritchie. It was a well positioned free kick some 22 yards out but Ritchie softly clipped it over the wall and it was easy for Howard to gather.

The next second though Everton were on the attack and coming down the right Lennon clipped the ball back from the byline for someone to run on to. At first the danger seemed to be cleared as an Everton player failed to get to the ball in time, but Baines was there on the far side of the box running in and he hit his shot crisply into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 on 64 minutes.

A low shot from Lennon saw Boruc get down a bit quicker than he had for the opening goal of the afternoon. The Cherries then made a double substitution with Afobe replacing King and Stanislas coming on for Pugh. The move did give more impetuous to the side. Afobe saw his shot blocked, then Stanislas, before Ritchie's effort was blocked.

Everton were looking for a third goal, but Cleverly sliced his effort. It wasn't a day for much sharp shooting. Stanislas whipped in a beautiful early cross at the other end but Afobe and Wilson couldn't get on it. The short corners weren't working either.

When Surman also got in the box he played the ball back out again for Stanislas who blasted over when Surman might have turned and shot himself if only he had any thoughts of getting a goal himself!

The best chance though was created by Wilson who got behind the Everton defence on the right and hit a strong cross back that Afobe headed over! It was crying out to be buried but the target was missed.

Eddie Howe's last throw was to bring on Lewis Grabban for Wilson on 79 minutes. Stanislas was beating players for fun but for all his crosses there was no end product. Even the ref got in the way during a really strong build up for the Cherries.

Martinez took off Barkley and brought on Dowell for the last three minutes. While Ritchie hit a shot that went wide it just wasn't happening for AFCB. Four minutes of extra time saw a Bournemouth corner there was no further action on Tim Howard's goal.

Not the win the lads wanted but there was lots of effort today.

Summary

Eddie Howe clearly went for a win with his team selection and while it was good to see the endeavour of Arter in the middle and the shape of Wilson and King up front there is a worry to me that this was pretty much the best side AFCB could put out and they were not creative enough to really test this Everton side. An Everton side, I must add, with Pennington and Naisse making their debuts, and no Jagielka, no Funes Mori or Barry or Deulofeu, while Lukaku started on the bench. There just wasn't enough shots on target. The ones I remember are Pugh's goal and Ritchie's soft free kick and you just aren't going to win many games if you can create only one or two good chances. By the way, Everton may also have found a better defence going forward, with Pennington and Hibbert playing exceptionally well on the day.

AFCb could not quite upset Everton on the day.

Everton
Howard, Besic (Hibbert 45), Stones, Pennington, Baines, McCarthy, Gibson, Lennon,
Barkley (Dowell), Cleverley, Niasse (Lukaku)

Everton Subs
Robles, Hibbert, Oviedo, Lukaku, Mirallas, Osman, Dowell

AFCB
Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh (Stanislas),
Wilson (Grabban), King (Afobe)

AFCB Subs
Federici, Wiggins, Gosling, Stanislas, Afobe, Grabban, O'Kane

AFCB Ratings

Boruc 4, Francis 6, Elphick 5, Cook 5, Daniels 5, Ritchie 5, Arter 6, Surman 5, Pugh 7 (Stanislas 6), Wilson 6 (Grabban 5), King 6 (Afobe 5)

Ref Watch: Neil Swarbrick 4/10 - He played on when there were clear fouls - missing completely the foul in the build up to AFCB's goal (perhaps he should be praised for that?) and missed corners, got in the way of passing moves for both teams - I could go on.

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