Bournemouth and Watford go goal crazy 3-3

Match Report

AFCB v Watford

2 January 2019

Attendance: 10,261

AFCB and Watford play out a high scoring thriller.

The Cherries stopped their losing run but they did it the hard way by coming back from 0-2 down in the first 27 minutes. A mad few minutes ensued with Aké and Wilson pulling Bournemouth level, before Sema made it 3-2 and Ryan Fraser slotted in his fifth of the season to make it 3-3 on 40 minutes. Everyone got their breath at half-time but it was Ben Foster who pulled out some magnificent saves from a Wilson header and a low shot from Josh King to keep Watford in it. 

Bournemouth dropped Diego Rico, Jordan Ibe and Andre Surman from the starting 11, while Jefferson Lerma, Ryan Fraser and Dan Gosling made the line up. There was a minor fire around the east stand that delayed kick-off by minutes at Dean Court. Bournemouth would play 4-4-2 with Junior Stanislas as a right-back.

Bournemouth attack up the right before getting caught offside. Begovic is happy to make a clearance, before Stanislas makes a block. Brooks takes up possession from King and tries a curler but it's just over the top left corner of the goal on three minutes.

Daniels stretches his legs for the first time with Fraser but can't get the return ball. Doucouré makes his presents felt in the box but Aké clears okay. Lerma plays a ball in for Wilson but he can't get a good connection on the shot.

Steve Cook gets a good header in. Fraser has space it's pulled back but Lerma can't keep it down and slices it over on 11 minutes. Pereyra puts in a good cross but it only finds Daniels.

Watford have a corner off of Steve Cook on 13 minutes. Aké clears. Decouré plays in Sema, he pulls the ball back from the right and Deeney heads Watford ahead 0-1 on 14 minutes!

Stanislas and Brooks lose the ball and are lucky Watford run it our of play. Sema gets the run on Daniels and Pererya shoots over.

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Capoue crosses form the left and Pererya volleys well wide. Brooks makes a cross, Wilson back to Fraser and the shot is low but right into Fosters' middle! We've had 22 minutes. Gosling and Daniels make some sloppy passes.

Stanislas loses the ball high up the field but Aké covers well. King goes for a shot but is blocked before Daniels floats a ball in that Foster catches.

Gosling give the ball to Deulofeu and Aké and Steve Cook block but Deeney is free to side-foot the ball past Daniels and Begovic and it's 0-2 on 27 minutes. A terrible goal to concede.

Yellow card to Deucouré on Fraser for a high challenge. King almost gets through but Cathcart gets back to clear. Watford come forward, Deeney wins the header and Doucouré hits a shot just over. Deeney fouls Fraser and Deeney is booked.

Fraser puts the free kick in and Steve Cook puts a header back across and Gosling heads it to the keeper's left, it's saved but Aké knocks the rebound in with his head on 34 minutes 1-2.

Steve Cook lands badly after a challenge with Deeney. Deeney made a back for Cook to fall over. Should have been a second yellow card. Bournemouth have a free kick after Brooks is fouled by Doucouré.

Fraser takes the kick and Wilson heads the ball in for 2-2! 37 minutes gone and Bournemouth are all square.

Watford have taken the lead again. Lerma and Daniels miss a header. It's fallen to Sema and his volley is past Begovic's left hand and it's 2-3.

Stanislas comes forward and  crosses from the right, King jumps over the ball and Fraser makes it 3-3 on 40 minutes! What a half!

Wilson on to Brooks, but he's scuffed the cross. Four minutes to half-time. Gosling to Stanislas header by King just wide of the post. Stanislas comes forward now.

Foster is out to block Wilson getting on to a ball over the top. Fraser now slips just at the crucial moment. Bournemouth have to do some defending. Three minutes of added time are being played.

It's still end to end. King keeps hold of the ball and  Watford have it back. Its half-time 3-3.

AFCB's subs

Second half
Brooks is up ended. No free kick. King has won a free kick off Cathcart. Bournemouth hold it up in Watford's half. Lerma has a go from distance, but Foster sees it coming.

Capoue has been booked for catching Gosling from behind. Daniels has a free kick now after a foul from Sema. Brooks finds Stanislas and Wilson has a shot blocked for a corner. Holevas should have been booked for a foul on Brooks, but Bournemouth have a corner and Cook head wide.

Deulofeu almost embarrasses Aké. Lerma strides forward, Fraser and Lerma heads but the keeper is there. Brooks has a free kick. Doucouré is lucky to still be on the pitch.

Watford break but Deeney is offside. Stanislas makes a short back pass but Begovic gets there. Doucouré is subbed for Cleverly on 57 minutes. King fouls Capoue.

Deeney wins a free kick off of Steve Cook. Deeney wins the header but Begovic catches.  Gosling is card for a foul on Cleverley. Deeney heads the ball wide. Capoue gets a way with a flying arm at Gosling.

Cleverley fouls Gosling. A chance to get the ball in the box. Fraser puts it in and Wilson heads well but Foster saves it with a high left-hand reaction save. The corner goes to Brooks and Aké heads wide, 65 minutes gone.

Brooks plays Fraser in but he hist his pass against a defender. Stanislas long to King, but he takes it down with his arm - handball. 

Watford get some possession. Steve Cook wins a header from Sema's cross, and Deeney is on the floor.

Sema is subbed and Will Hughes comes on after 71 minutes. Brooks does some great work square to Lerma, beats his man but spoons the shot.

Watford have a corner. Begovic catches. Stanislas and Brooks on the break but Pererya gets a foot n.

Bournemouth keep the pressure on Stanislas plays in King ad King hits Foster's legs! Brooks and Stanislas and Gosling's shot is saved low to the left post.

Another break with King but he is tackled. King wins the ball well. Steve Cook makes a tremendous tackle on Pererya having been played in by Deeney. Wilson is subbed for Ibe and Fraser is replaced by Fraser on 82 minutes.

Shot just wide by  Delefeuo. Mouseet to King who goes through and Foster saves with his legs from a narrow angle. Stanislas gets a touch on the ball back to Begovic.

There's a push on Aké and his header is ruled out. Lerma has a shot that Foster saves. Stanislas gets a corner, three minutes to go. There will be another corner. It's a Watford break and Daniels has to cover. 

Watford sub Deulofeu for Success on 90 minutes. Three minutes of added time go up. Cleverley hits Akee's hand but it's no penalty. 

Mousset gives a free kick away. It is some 35 yards out but Watford will try and get something on goal. Steve Cook heads it out and there's the final whistle.

Summary
Eddie Howe will love moments of this game and put his head in his hands for other moments. The Cherries continue to concede poor goals but they have found their shooting boots themselves and probably feel that they should have won this match. To come back from 0-2 down though has to be pleasing and a point at any stage is not a bad point in this league. But for the saves of Ben Foster, Bournemouth would have won the game. There was some calamities in some of the Watford goals, but at least Bournemouth looked more composed in the second half.

AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Mings, Rico, Surman, Ibe, Mousset, Defoe.

Referee Watch: David Coote - 2/10. Lots of players should have been carded and Deeney and Doucouré must be amazed that they were not given their marching orders.

Cherry Chimes Man of the Match: Nathan Aké

AFCB Ratings: Begovic 5, Stanislas 7, S Cook 6, Aké 8, Daniels 6, Brooks 6, Lerma 7, Gosling 6, Fraser 7, King 5, Wilson 7

Watford
Foster, Femenía, Mariappa, Cathcart, Holebas, Doucouré (Cleverley 56), Capoue, Sema (Hughes 71), Pereyra, Deulofeu (Success 90), Deeney

Watford Subs
Gomes, Britos, Cleverley, Success, Masina, Hughes, Quina