Bournemouth hit 20 points with 0-3 win at Fulham

Match Report

27 October 2018

Fulham 0-3 AFCB

Attendance: 25,071

Fans flood into Craven Cottage.

Bournemouth were big favourites to beat Fulham at Craven Cottage and the score line would suggest it was fairly comfortable. But in a tight first half, only a miss-timed tackle by Fosu-Mensah on Callum Wilson opened the door for Bournemouth. Callum Wilson struck the penalty firmly past Rico to score and Bournemouth had to wait until the second half to extend their lead when Ryan Fraser created another opening for David Brooks to score. With Watford reduced to 10-men, Wilson was again on target in the last five minutes to make the pleasing headline score, but Howe should be more pleased with the form of Asmir Begovic who was cat-like in goal and saved the Cherries a couple of times when Fulham came close to scoring.

AFCB warm up.

Eddie Howe recalled Charlie Daniels to the team as Josh King was unable to play with an injured ankle. The shape of the team changed to 3-4-3 with three at the back and withCharlie Daniels and Adam Smith as wing-backs and Fraser, Brooks and Wilson operating as a top three.

Rokus and Rokus give a Fulham fan preview.

Cherry Chimes talks to Bournemouth fan Dave ahead of the game.

Bournemouth and Fulham walk out.

Fulham immediately felt the force of Bournemouth's attack. An early handball shout off a Charlie Daniels cross was not penalised and Fulham managed to resist the Cherries' early pressure. Aké pushed forward and was unlucky to lose out to a throw when he had attempted a shot.

Kamara got down the right to put in a cross that Steve Cook swung at and missed. Seri then lofted a ball up for Kamara, who back peddling, headed over with Begovic having the effort covered.

Daniels was keen to get forward and had another shot blocked on nine minutes, but the game changed when Fosu-Mensah brought Wilson down inside the left side of the Fulham penalty box. Wilson kept calm and slipped the penalty away and Bournemouth were 0-1 up.

Aké had to be alert to hold off Kamara and with Begovic racing out to stop Kamara, who went down without Begovic touching him, the referee paused before deciding to card Kamara and give Bournemouth a free kick.

Francis then made a poor clearance and the ball went to MacDonald, who squared it to  Schürrle. The former Chelsea player struck his shot well, but Begovic saved well to his right. Aké then made a clearance after Adam Smith had given the ball away.

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Bournemouth won a corner on 25 minutes with Aké again getting forward. A cross from Daniels saw Wilson head over after 27 minutes. Francis then put another cross in with Wilson again heading off target.

With Bournemouth controlling possession it was Francis who dug another cross out that Wilson could not quite reach. Fraser was getting heavily challenged and was taking several tumbles for the team. A few minutes after the half hour, he would go down again in the box, but was not awarded a penalty much to his disgust.

Fulham attacked and Seri won a corner. Bournemouth looked vulnerable but Schürrle scooped his shot horribly over. Aké covered well to get back at Kamara who decided to stay down as the game went on.

Daniels had a shot saved on 27 minutes, before Fosu-Mensah won a corner. Luckily Denis Odoi headed poorly wide from six yards!

A free kick on the edge of the box won by Wilson was swiftly cleared and in added time two corners from Fulham were well enough defended for Bournemouth to go in at the break 0-1 up.

Half-time, Bournemouth have their noses in front.

Second half
Bournemouth started sluggishly in the second half with Fosu-Mensah having the first shot which went wide. Brooks had some attention to an injury before play continued.

Adam Smith was doing well down the right wing, while Wilson did well getting into the box before Brooks failed to make a clean contact and the chance disappeared.

Fosu-Mensah then put in a great cross that went right across Bournemouth's box. Fraser was still getting taken out and MacDonald was yellow carded. Fraser was soon up and won a corner that Rico punched uncomfortably away.

Simon Francis then hit a stinging drive from 25 yards that Rico pushed away to his right when it had been heading for the top corner!

Fulham subbed Le Marchand for Cairney on the hour. Aké then got the better of Kamara. A good chance for Fulham came though when Fosu-Mensah crossed for Mitrovic to head over.

Fraser was still winning corners for Bournemouth, while Fosu-Mensah was the most influential player for Fulham. Kamara hit a shot with real venom on 70 minutes but it was too high to worry Begovic.

The next move from Bournemouth saw Adam Smith drive out of defence before Wilson kept the move going on half way with an outstretched leg. Fraser benefited and raced away to play in Brooks to his left, after Bournemouth's young ace had intelligently made his diagonal run between defenders. Brooks shot was equally accurate and sped into the goal, under Rico, to make it 0-2 to Bournemouth.

MacDonald was yellow carded again for a foul on Brooks and was sent off. Steve Cook was yellow carded shortly after. Kamara kicked the ball away after fouling Fraser but somehow avoided a second yellow card.

Fulham hadn't given up but even with another corner they didn't test Begovic. Mitrovic was next to fire over with time running out for the home side.

Seri was subbed for Anguissa on 80 minutes and Lewis Cook came off for Gosling. A Bournemouth corner was cleared, but Fraser soon had possession back and played in Wilson who made it 0-3 on 86 minutes. He signed off with his signature salute, Bournemouth were home and dry.

There was enough time for Brooks to be subbed and Stanislas to come on. Fraser also went off to enable Defoe to get a couple of minutes. Mitrovic was booked near the end for a poor tackle on Gosling on half way. Three minutes of added time were seen off with Bournemouth able to reflect on their third away win of the season.

Another big away win for the Cherries.

Summary

While Bournemouth won this game well in the end, they did not play with great fluency. The absence of Josh King was apparent and it took a moment from Wilson and Fraser to create the defining moment of the game, when Brooks found himself in the clear to score the second and make the game safe. But chances had been limited. It was pleasing that Bournemouth did finish well in this game though and they were not wasteful. Wilson capped a great game for him with a second goal near the end from Fraser's assist, but Begovic was my man of the match, as he didn't want to let anyone down and to get three clean sheets in a row is a big statement to make, when the Cherries had found it impossible not to concede during most of the early games this season.

Cherry Chimes T-Shirt competition - no correct scores this week.

Bournemouth keep Fulham in the bottom three.

Bournemouth go four games unbeaten.

AFCB Ratings

Begovic 8, Francis 6, S Cook 6, Aké 7, A Smith 6, L Cook 6, Lerma 6, Daniels 6, 

Brooks 7, Wilson 7, Fraser 7

Ref Watch Andre Mariner: 4/10 Called the penalty and reduced  Fulham to 10-men, but Fraser was livid not to get a penalty in the first half. Kamara also should probably have seen red.

Bournemouth line up

Bournemouth Subs
Boruc, Rico, Gosling, Surman, Ibe, Stanislas, Defoe

Cherry Chimes' MOM: Asmir  Begovic

Fulham
Rico, Fosu-Mensah, Odoi, Ream, Le Marchand (Cairney 60), McDonal (Sent off 74), Seri (Zambo Anguiss 80a), Kamara, Schürrle, Sessegnon, Mitrovic.

Fulham Sus
Bettinelli, Johansen, Cairney, Vietto, Christie, Mawson, Zambo Anguissa

In other news, it was a tragic day for Leicester City with their Chairman's helicopter crash and our hearts go out to the club and for those families who have suffered losses. We also wish Glenn Hoddle a speedy recovery having been taken ill yesterday.