A frustrating win for the Cherries

Match Report

AFCB 2 v 1 Huddersfield Town

4 December 2018

Attendance: 9980

Bournemouth shuffle past Huddersfield.

If Bournemouth fans thought that Huddersfield would present few problems they hadn't read the script for this game. Bournemouth were untouchable, for the first 20 minutes, and zoomed into a 2-0 lead with Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser reminding us of how sharp the Cherries were in front of goal for the first few matches of the season. Then, for 70 minutes fans had to watch Huddersfield overwhelm AFCB, and it was Bournemouth that were on the ropes as soon as Terence Kongolo pulled a goal back in the 37th minute. Asmir Begovic made save after save, as Depoitre and Pritchard squandered chances to improve Huddersfield score. The second half saw the home crowd grow in frustration as referee Roger East failed to card bad challenges, and Huddersfield's Aaron Mooy and Florent Hadergjonaj dominated play. It was a relief when the final whistle came. Eddie Howe could celebrate three points for the first time in five games, but the performance shocking for the most part.

Bournemouth get outplayed at home but find a way to win.

Bournemouth made a couple of changes with Jefferson Lerma and David Brooks returning to the starting 11. Tyrone Mings and Andrew Surman moved to the bench.

Bournemouth had just about the best start they could have wished for. Although Lewis Cook gave the first foul away on Alex Pritchard, Bournemouth recovered from Huddersfield's early pressure to spring Josh King up the right and win a free kick. The stunning accuracy of Fraser's delivery saw the ball fall right on Callum Wilson's head and Bournemouth were one up on five minutes.

It could have been 2-0 moments later when Josh King fired another shot at goal and Jonas Lossl tipped it over. King also put his header from the corner wide.

Callum Wilson was full of running and put another ball right across the face of goal as Bournemouth enjoyed their early dominance. Ryan Fraser took another corner that Lossl had to punch at to keep it clear of the goal.

Approaching 20 minutes, Huddersfield seemed to have recovered the early onslaught. Hadergjonaj was beating Daniels and getting crosses in, one of which Depoitre was close to getting on the end of.

A break by Wilson though had Huddersfield scrambling. Callum spotted Fraser racing up the left side towards the box and he found him with a low pass, before Fraser dispatched his shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 on 27 minutes. It was looking like Bournemouth would rack up a big score on the night.

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Lewis Cook lost the ball on the edge of the box and Pritchard had a shot blocked. He came even closer after a corner that landed in the six yard box, but his snap shot brought a reaction save from Begovic to keep Bournemouth's clean sheet. Another good move by Huddersfield followed again it was Hadergjonaj's cross from the right that had Begovic rushing to make a top save to hie right from a Depoitre header.

A free kick for Huddersfield saw Mooy come close, as Begovic dived to his left to keep the shot out. Huddersfield kept up the pressure with a couple of corners, before Francis took out Erik Drum with a strong shoulder barge.

But it was Huddersfield celebrating moments later when Kongolo headed a looping header past Begovic to make it 1-1 on 37 minutes.

Keeping the lead in the second half would be tough.

Second half

The first half had started to get away from Bournemouth and it was important they got back to attacking. Fraser and King win the first corner and when King stretched the Huddersfield defence, Wilson returned the ball and King snap shot slip wide of the post on 51 minutes.

Mooy and Pritchard were pushing Bournemouth back. Mooy had already been carded and was perhaps lucky to get away with another late challenge on a Bournemouth player.

Begovic had to make a great save from Mooy on 58 minutes. Bournemouth were finding it hard to get out of their own half before Fraser was taken out by Billing who received a yellow card. 

Eddie Howe tried to change things up by subbing David Brooks on 62 minutes to give Junior Stanislas a go. It didn't stop Francis pulling rank over a free kick on the edge of Huddersfield's box which he duly put over the bar.

Charlie Daniels was carded for a foul on Hadergjonaj two minutes later. Begovic was smothering crosses to keep Bournemouth ahead, but it was Huddersfield that were running the game now. Francis was carded and Depoitre went close on 75 minutes.

Huddersfield subbed Kongolo for Mbenza and Billing for Sabiri on 74 minutes.  Bournemouth fans were getting more frustrated with most of the play in Bournemouth's half and a lack of composure to keep the ball.

Sabiri had to come off on 78 minutes having just come on having injured his arm with a Lewis Cook challenge. Sabiri was replaced by Sobhi.

The last 10 minutes would see Bournemouth having to defend deep. Aké put in a pas back header to Begovic that had the crowd gasping. Wilson and Fraser managed to hold the ball up for a bit, but Huddersfield were sharper to every ball.

Fraser was subbed for Mousset with three minutes to go. Aké then lost control and the ball ran to Mooy who shot from distance and saw his shot deflected for a corner. Hadergjonaj volleyed the ball but it went straight to Begovic.

Mousset got himself booked for throwing the ball away as Bournemouth tried to frustrate and kill time. In the five added minutes Tyrone Mings replaced Josh King and Wilson was bundled over in the box by Schindler and yet the referee refused to award a penalty. The only whistle to come was the final whistle.

AFCB get over the line mainly thanks to Asmir Begovic.

Summary

Play poorly and pick up three points. We should be happy with that shouldn't we? Well it didn't seem like fans were leaving overjoyed with the performance, but the three points were welcome. There was bafflement over how the Cherries central midfield was overrun by Mooy and Pritchard and it was clear Asmir Begovic had been the most important man on the pitch for AFCB - without him it would have been a defeat. It looked like the players needed a rest and defending on their own box felt easier for them than pressing or pushing Huddersfield back. Playing on the break did produce a goal but Bournemouth will have to find a lot better performance than this t o beat Liverpool who are next in town.

Three points are most welcome.

Huddersfield
Lössl, Hadergjonaj, M Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo (Mbenza 74), Billing (Sabiriat 74 -Sobhiat 78),
Hogg, Mooy, Pritchard, Durm, Depoitre

Huddersfield Subs
Smith, Kachunga, Hamer, Sobhi, Mbenza, Williams, Sabiri

AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Rico, Mings, Surman, Stanislas, Mousset, Defoe

AFCB Ratings

Begovic 9, Francis 7, S Cook 7, Aké 7,  Daniels 6, Fraser 8, Lerma 8, L Cook 6, Brooks 6, King 7, Wilson 7

AFCB MoM - Asmir Begovic 

Ref Watch: Roger East 0/10 - did not have control of the game and missed clear fouls all night long including a last minute penalty.

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