Match Report
AFCB 3 v 0 Milton Keynes Dons
Carabao Cup Second Round
27 August 2018
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| Dean Lewington and Simon Francis in the middle. |
The Carabao Cup might not be a priority for many teams, but Dean Court was well attended to see the two new summer recruits of Jefferson Lerma and Diego Rico take to the pitch against League Two side Milton Keynes. There was also an added bonus of seeing ex-Cherry Baily Cargill turn out for the Dons, but it was the sharp darting runs of Ryan Fraser that fans were left in awe of by the end of the evening. Frenchman Lys Mousset opened the scoring on 16 minutes after a flowing move from a throw from Artur Boruc to get the play going from one end of the pitch to the other. It took until the 37th minute for Ryan Fraser to volley Bournemouth into a 2-0 lead. Jefferson Lerma was influential in midfield, sometimes over exuberant in the tackle but very careful with his passing.
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| Jefferson Lerma and Diego Rico are among Bournemouth's players that get starts. |
Bournemouth dominated possession and Diego Rico got stronger as the game went on with his pin-point crossing and running power. A third goal came in the second half when Jordan Ibe made space for his shot to beat Nicholls in the bottom left corner on 90+1 minutes. The margin of the victory was huge even if Bournemouth only managed three goals, as Rico had smashed a shot against the bar and Lerma had made Nicholls make a fabulous save at full stretch. Howe might have wanted Bournemouth to put MK Dons to the sword with more goals, but the Cherries really didn't need to with MK Dons offering little prospect of pegging back any goals.
The first half saw Bournemouth passing at their best and not even allowing MK Dons much of a chance to cross the half way line. Lerma's first shot only disturbed those high up in the South stand when encouraged to shoot by the home crowd. The only survivor from the weekend's game showed Lerma how to do it, when Fraser saw his shot topped over marvellously by a relieved Nicholls in the MK Dons' goal.
Bournemouth's first goal came from Brouc throwing the ball straight out to Defoe who quickly knocked it on to Lys Mousset on the right. Fraser then took the ball over half way before playing Lys Mousset back inside down the right, and Mousset's shot nestled in the bottom left corner. It was a superb move that swept down the field to give Bournemouth the lead.
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| Lerma with Fraser before kick-off. |
It was quickly followed by Ibe feeding Fraser and his cross being volleyed by Mousset that was saved by Nicholls and perhaps part of the post, as Bournemouth earned a corner. Fraser was playing out of his skin with a deft flick to sent Defoe on his way forward, then when Defoe later had his back to goal and returned the favour to Fraser, the wee-man shot narrowly wide.
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Lerma was ever-present in the middle with Lewis Cook who played a great pass for Defoe to shoot on 30 minutes that Nicholls saved for a corner. Lerma was not a stranger to fouling and was lucky not to get booked on a few occasions. Fraser was still reminding everyone he was industrious with a punishing tackle on Baily Cargill on the half way line.
A second goal then arrived on 37 minutes when Ibe broke away and had his first shot blocked before picking out Ryan Fraser who smashed his volley in with great power.
Milton Keynes best chance fell to Stuart Moore, but he shot over on 43 minutes. A further shot from Ryan Watson just before half time also flew over, but MK Dons had been outplayed in the first 45 minutes.
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| A strong first-half from AFCB. |
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| Josh King and Baily Cargill greet each other at half-time. |
But a free kick won by Lewis Cook gave Rico to show us what his dead ball kicks were like and he thundered a shot over the wall and against the top of the cross bar on 57 minutes. Meanwhile, Dean Lewington was yellow carded for his foul on Lewis Cook for the free kick.
Just to show he wasn't going to be overshadowed by the Spaniard, Jefferson Lerma soon after had a well hit shot from the edge of the box make Nicholls have to dive to his left to keep the powerful shot out.
MK Dons' Ryan Watson managed to get a shot off that went straight to Boruc, but Bournemouth were in full control. Williams was therefore subbed for Finn Tapp on 62 minutes and Cargill made way for Sam Nombe. A deflected shot that gave MK Dons a corner was reason for their fans to celebrate, but their main tormentor, Ryan Fraser was subbed on 66 minutes for Josh King.
More disconcerting for Eddie Howe was to see Lys Mousset have to limp around the pitch after 69 minutes and he was replaced by Steve Cook, which meant Francis was pushed into midfield.
MK Dons subbed the luckless Stuart Moore on 72 minutes for Osman Sow as the Dons looked for a consolation goal. Ibe was doing his best to get on the score sheet, but was finding much accuracy. He had to wait until the first minute of added time when David Brooks had added fresh impetus to the attack by replacing Defoe, and Ibe was the recipient of King's pass that Ibe fired into the bottom left corner of the goal.
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| A good win for the Cherries. |
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| Howe and his players take the applause. |
Bournemouth never had to hit their very top gear. It was a disappointment I think to Eddie Howe that they didn't have to. But the crowd were more than pleased to have watched Jefferson Lerma get stuck into a game and to see Diego Rico flight his accurate crosses into the box. The star was certainly Ryan Fraser who has found another level to his game. While Boruc was not tested, Tyrone Mings was busy in keeping Bournemouth's clean sheet and we can all look forward to a third round draw this Thursday evening.
AFCB Line-up. Pugh misses out with a tight hamstring.
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| AFCB Subs: S Cook, Surman, King, Brooks, Travers, Dobre, Ofoborh |
AFCB Ratings
Boruc 6, Franics 6, Simpson, 6, Mings 7, Rico 8, Fraser 9, L Cook 7, Lerma 7, Ibe 6, Mousset 7, Defoe 6
MK Dons
Nicholls, Cargill (Nombe 62), Jackson, Moore-Taylor, Williams (Tapp 62), Gilbey, Houghton, Watson, Lewington, Cissé, Healey (Sow 72)
MK Dons' Subs
Moore, Sow, Hancox, Agard, Nombe, Kasumu, Tapp
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