Bournemouth head towards safety with Cook's added time winner

Match Report

4 November 2017

Newcastle 0 v 1 AFCB

Attendance: 52,237

High up in the clouds AFCB fans' view of the pitch.

Away days are starting to be pretty popular for Bournemouth fans even when the team leaves it late to grab a winner. Steve Cook had not ventured forward with much success against Chelsea in the final minutes, but when he ran up for a corner in the last seconds of the game against Newcastle he attacked the header with all his might and planted to ball in the back of the net with power and precision. It sent the away fans loopy with delight! The Cherries were going to get three points from a game that was scrappy and short of quality, but it didn't matter. Just to get out of the bottom three made it a tremendous day for Eddie Howe's men and they should have the confidence to kick on from here.

Outside the ground.

Eddie Howe made a few changes to the team again with Adam Smith dropping to the bench along with Lewis Cook. That enabled Josh King and Harry Arter starting places and Callum Wilson also made a start with Benik Afobe on the injured list.

Bournemouth started okay with the first chance coming when Callum Wilson robbed Johnjo Shelvey and set up Ibe for an early shot which was deflected for a Bournemouth their first corner.

But Bournemouth quickly found that they would have to use every bit of courage to hold Newcastle at bay. Former Cherry Matt Ritchie had a point to prove and he struck a curling shot on five minutes that had Begovc scrambling to his right. Begovic must have got a touch as Newcastle were awarded a corner.

Christian Atsu was also playing well for Newcastle and took a shot high to Begovic's left that also had to be kept out on 14 minutes. But Newcastle looked even more in charge when Ritchie smashed another shot off the right hand post of the Bournemouth goal and even though the follow up was put in by Gayle, but the Newcastle striker was in an offside position.

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Andrew Surman was looking out of touch and apart fro giving the ball away a lot, he also picked up a yellow for a foul on Joselu. Bournemouth's Aké and Cook were getting blocks in well and they had to with Surman losing possession right in front of the back four.

King had a shot pulled wide after a strong tackle from Francis had won the ball, but Newcastle were also getting chances with Aké getting across to block Gayle from the penalty spot area.

Bournemouth's best move of the half saw Francis cross from the right with a header just tipped over the bar from close in, but we were too far away to see which Bournemouth striker it was go so close until we were told it was Wilson.

King also went close late on in the half but Elliot saved well at his near post.

Stephen and Robert look down on the pitch at St James' Park.

Second half
Bournemouth had a couple of early Newcastle corners to defend. It was looking like a difficult game for AFCB to get a grip on, but then Wilson was found by KIng on the left and heading for goal. He just had Elliot to beat and yet took too long to make up his mind before hitting a weak shot wide, right of the post.

Moments later Dwight Gayle could have had a similar opportunity at the other end, but the long ball from Shelvey was not controlled by the striker and the ball ran through to Begovic.

Newcastle subbed their captain Lascelles for Ciaran Clark on 56 minutes. Lejeune was then yellow carded for a foul on King. There were errors everywhere in the game with a lot of turnovers of possession. Wilson made a strong run at goal and hesitated whether to shoot or pass and opted finally to pass to Ibe who lost control, when King was much better placed on the left.

Benitez subbed Joselu for Perez on 69 minutes. A few moments later Pugh shot hopelessly wide. Wilson was subbed for Adam Smith to join the game on 76 minutes and Ibe made way for Defoe a minute later.

Francis committed a professional foul in holding back a Newcastle player and received a yellow card. There was no quality, it was turning into a scrappy game.

In the last 10 minutes Atsu was subbed for Murphy, while Shelvey picked up a yellow card for fouling Arter. Defoe had a quickly taken shot that Elliot beat out for a corner.

But Bournemouth kept pushing for a winner and it looked like Pugh would come up with the goods when he stepped inside on the left and drove a shot that beat Elliot and bounced off Cieran Clark and the inside of the post, but somehow didn't go in.

With three minutes of added time Bournemouth won another corner and Steve Cook came up for it and planted his headed past Elliot, and he ran off to celebrate with the Bournemouth fans. It was a glorious end to the game for the travelling fans.

Summary
A difficult and hard won game. It mattered more that AFCB got the points than the manner of the victory. They will play better than this, but they had the luck that had escaped them in previous games and the team's strength at the end of games is what got them this famous victory. They wanted it and Newcastle just couldn't keep them out. A great day for Eddie Howe and for his players - it's just fabulous to be able to say that for once.

Sadly, I managed to delete just about all my photos by mistake! Still, nothing was going to make us feel disappointed on a day like this. UTCIAD!

AFCB

AFCB Subs
Boruc, Gosling, A Smith, L Cook, Defoe, Fraser, Mousset

AFCB Ratings

Begovic 7, Francis 6, S Cook 8, Aké 7, Daniels 7, Ibe 6, Arter 5, Surman 5, Pugh 7,
King 6, C Wilson 7

Newcastle Utd

Elliot, Yedlin, Lascelles (Clark), Lejeune, Manquillo, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey,Atsu (Murphy),
Gayle, Joselu (Pérez)

Newcastle Subs
Clark, Murphy, Diamé, Pérez, Darlow, Gámez, Mitrovic

Referee Watch: Paul Tierney 4/10 I don't think Tierney will be welcome anytime soon on Tyneside. The away crowd grew more and more outraged at his decisions.