Steve Cook saves AFCB from early FA Cup exit to Wigan 2-2

Match Report

AFCB 2 v 2 Wigan Athletic

Emirates FA Cup 6 January 2018

Attendance: 9894

Steve Cook has another big match to remember.

Bournemouth lived to fight another game in the FA Cup after Wigan Athletic pushed the Premier League side all the way. It took a 90+2 minute header from Steve Cook to save the Cherries from embarrassment on a cold afternoon when Eddie Howe had made eight changes to the side. Wigan took the lead in the third minute when the ball dropped kindly to Will Grigg on the six yard line and the League One leaders doubled their lead when a free kick came off Emerson Hyndman and looped over Artur Boruc on 29 minutes. A double substitution for Bournemouth at half time changed the game with Marc Pugh and Jordan Ibe putting AFCB on the front foot. Wigan felt the full power of the Cherries attack and Lys Mousset powered in his first goal of the season on 55 minutes. A last minute salvage operation earned Bournemouth a replay, but Wigan fans may wonder how they did not get a penalty moments earlier when Toney looked clear through on goal with Boruc rushing out and Adam Smith perhaps getting the benefit of the doubt for his challenge.

AFCb v Wigan line up.

The team Howe selected was a mixture of regulars and those who had not been getting games. So in came Brad Smith at left back and Connor Mahoney on the right wing, while Emerson Hyndman joined Andrew Surman in the middle of the pitch. Ryan Fraser was back as well as Nathan Aké, while Afobe and Mousset started up front.

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Will Grigg gets ready to kick off.

It was quite some start with Wigan breaking down the left with Jacobs and then James, who crossed to the far post where Massey headed back for a predatory Will Grigg to slam home the first goal on just three minutes. Brad Smith had been out jumped at the far post and  Grigg was quick than Aké to the knockdown. It was just the start the League One sided would have dreamt of and you felt the nerves shuddering through the Cherries after that.

Bournemouth replied with a free kick from the right that led to a Lys Mousset header being saved by Christian Walton, the on loan Brighton keeper.

Bournemouth came even closer on 16 minutes when Mahoney got round the back and Mousset had a shot blocked on the line.  Wigan were defending corners well enough while Surman and Brad Smith looked on different wavelength on the left.

A Wigan turnover, with Andrew Surman caught on the ball, saw Jacobs pass to Nick Powell who shot just wide on 25 minutes. Mousset was looking most likely to score for the Cherries and he made a spectacular volley that went wide on 27 minutes from an Adam Smith cross.

Wigan found themselves winning a free kick off a Brad Smith handball some 30 yards out on the right. Bournemouth put up a three-man wall with the large Dan Burn standing with it and the shot from Powell deflected off Emerson Hyndman's head and looped over Boruc right into the goal to make it 0-2 to the visitors. There was a shove from Burn across the wall, but the goal was of Bournemouth's own making and Boruc was completely wrong footed from the deflection.

Bournemouth were getting in shooting positions but wasting them. A free kick led to Fraser next volleying over the bar. Massey was carded for a foul on Fraser before Bournemouth had a late corner. Adam Smith took his frustration out on James and was also booked and while Mahoney had a shot just before the whistle went for half time it was well saved at the right post.

Brad Smith and Connor Mahoney get pulled at half time.

Not a great start.

Second half
Ibe replaced Mahoney and Pugh came on for Brad Smith as the second half started. Nathan Aké showed a burst of speed to head off Powell, but Wigan had the first corner of the second half. Bournemouth came back with Afobe having a shot pushed over the bar.

Bournemouth kept possession better now and Bournemouth started to get some corners with Pugh putting in a great cross at one stage that Walton clawed out from the sky. Bournemouth came closer still when Steve Cook crashed his header from the following corner against the bar, before Pugh's tame shot was caught by Walton.

Bournemouth quickly recovered possession and on the right Ibe found Mousset who lashed his right footed shot into the roof of the net, top right corner 1-2.

Wigan subbed Powell for Perkins on 56 minutes. The pressure was on Wigan now with Bournemouth in control. A Pugh cross saw Steve Cook put a hooked shot wide, just after Mousset had his shot blocked.

Will Grigg was subbed for Toney on 65 minutes and Wigan had a corner that almost saw Toney score with his first touch, but he put it wide. Wigan then had a better chance with James on the right crossing for Power who shot over.

Afobe was subbed for Callum Wilson on 71 minutes and Aké had a neat shot saved at the foot of the right post. Steve Cook headed over before Aké also had another shot blocked form a corner. Ibe was getting a lot of the ball and running past Wigan players well but Wigan were getting their blocks in.

Mousset and Wilson were not getting the ball to fall to them just right in front of goal, while Hyndman smashed his drive well over. When Massey slowly walked off for Roberts on 83 minutes it didn't look like Bournemouth would be getting out of trouble this time. Powell was carded for a foul on Adam Smith as time began to run out.

A free kick from Fraser was touched on to the bar and over for a corner and from the corner Wigan broke with Roberts and Morsy, then Toney just had Boruc to beat. Boruc came out and spread his legs in a scissor shape as Toney was about to shoot and while Toney went down referee Andy Madley waved all calls for a penalty away.

Three minutes of added time gave Bournemouth a lifeline. Ibe put in a good cross that Dunkley kept out but it only went to Pugh who crossed from the left with his shorts still riding up high on his left leg, while Steve Cook rose well to head in from close in making it 2-2. That was enough to see the Wigan assistant manager, Liam Richardson, sent to the stands. Finally, a Ryan Fraser strike right at the end almost won it for AFCB, but the shot came off the foot of the post.

A replay it is then.

Summary

Bournemouth had to make changes with the perilous league position and so many injuries. While the crossing abilities of Pugh and Ibe made a massive difference in the second half it could easily have been a cup exit for the Cherries and Howe will just be pleased that they get another chance. Steve Cook is making a habit of getting AFCB out of trouble and this was another late goal, which almost made it feel like a win. Getting more rhythm and purpose to Bournemouth's play will be Howe's concern but on this day they did enough to get a replay and it will be no easier to get a result up at Wigan.

Lys Mousset gets his goal.

AFCB fight another day.

AFCB Player Ratings

Boruc 5, A Smith 6, S Cook 7, Aké 7, B Smith 4 (Pugh 7), Mahoney 4 (Ibe 7), Hyndman 5,
Surman 5, Fraser 8,  Mousset 7, Afobe 4 (Wilson 6)

Cherry Chimes' MOM - Ryan Fraser

AFCB Subs: Federici, Simpson, Gosling, Pugh, Butcher, Ibe, Wilson

Referee Watch: Andy Madley 5/10 I was not sure about the late penalty decision, but I'm very glad he didn't give it. On replay, it did not look like there was much need for Ivan Toney to go down as he did, but changing direction and Adam Smith attempting to put the striker off saw him hit the ground pretty hard.

Wigan Athletic
Walton, Byrne, Dunkley, Burn, James, Morsy, Power, Jacobs, Powell (Perkins 56), Massey (Roberts 83), Grigg (Toney 65)

Wigan Subs
Elder, Perkins, Toney, MacDonald, Roberts, Hunt, Sarkic