Bournemouth dominated the match against League Two side Forest Green Rovers, but just couldn't find a finish to beat Joe Wollacott. Bournemouth had to wait until the last three minutes to have their best chance of the game but Josh King couldn't find the net. It was another blank night of scoring for Callum Wilson and it took three saves from Mark Travers to see AFCB through the penalty shoot out 3-0 to take Bournemouth through to the third round of the Carabao Cup. Bournemouth will play Burton Albion away in the next round.
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| Mark Travers lets his gloves do the talking. |
Bournemouth's bench was also pretty strong with Ryan Fraser, Nathan Aké, Philip Billing and Josh King among the subs.
Official AFCB Tweets
01 Forest Green get us started and we'll be kicking towards the Ted MacDougall Stand for the first half.
02 Chance for the Cherries...
Callum Wilson does brilliantly to keep hold of the ball and plays a lovely one-two with Solanke. He gets a shot away, but it's over the bar.
Callum Wilson does brilliantly to keep hold of the ball and plays a lovely one-two with Solanke. He gets a shot away, but it's over the bar.
04 Penalty shout?
Ibe goes down in the box after a challenge from a Forest Green defender, but the referee blows any appeals away.
10 Free-kick... Solanke is brought down within shooting range and, of course, Harry Wilson is behind it! The Wales international strikes it, but it's just over Wollacott's bar.
13 Best opening so far...
We get the ball into a good position and Harry Wilson is played through... He has a go from close range, which the 'keeper saves, and it bobbles around in the box before being cleared.
20 Pressure being applied...Ibe goes down in the box after a challenge from a Forest Green defender, but the referee blows any appeals away.
10 Free-kick... Solanke is brought down within shooting range and, of course, Harry Wilson is behind it! The Wales international strikes it, but it's just over Wollacott's bar.
13 Best opening so far...
We get the ball into a good position and Harry Wilson is played through... He has a go from close range, which the 'keeper saves, and it bobbles around in the box before being cleared.
The rain is coming down thick and fast here at Vitality Stadium and we've seen lots of the ball in the first 20 minutes. Surman has just hit a wonderful ball from the edge of the area, but it's drifted just wide.
The right-back links up well with Kilkenny and then Harry Wilson, before fizzing a low ball into the box, but no-one is there to get on the end of it and it evades everyone.
28 Good save from Wollacott!
Ibe wins it back and drives into the box with the ball. He pulls the trigger and forces a low save from the Forest Green 'keeper, who keeps it at 0-0.Kilkenny plays a neat little ball through to Solanke, who is put under pressure and goes down in the box. Play goes on and it eventually falls to Stacey, who drills his shot wide.
39 Superb from Stacey again... The ball breaks to Harry Wilson and Stacey sprints 50 yards to overlap him. The ball goes in from the right, but Callum Wilson can't quite poke home.
44 Attempt missed. Harry Wilson (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Andrew Surman.
Well that was completely dominant. We look so lively, but just haven't found that killer touch.
It's been one way traffic and Andrew Surman went close, before Harry Wilson and Jordan Ibe both forced saves from the keeper.
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Second half
Substitution, Forest Green Rovers. Ebou Adams replaces Dayle Grubb.
51 First second half opening...we take a clever free kick and Ibe comes forward with the ball. The space opens up for him and he tries a shot, but it's high ad wide of Wollacott's goal.
59 A double substitution.. King and Fraser are on in place of harry Wilson and Callum Wilson
61 Solanke has a go.. The striker works an opening just outside the box, but scuffs his shot and it goes for a goal kick.
65 Shot for Forest Green. Adams picks it up and brings the ball forward He's 20 yards out and decides to have a go, but it doesn't challenge Travers and goes over.
68 substitutes line up...Fraser and King link up well with the latter getting into a good position and firing towards goal but its saved.
70 Huge chance.. stacey plays a quick throw to King, who is rapid down the right. His low cross gets deflected and falls into the arms of Forest Green's keeper with Solanke ready to pounce.
73 off the post! How has that not gone in? Stacey drives a low ball into the box after being played in by Ibe. It comes off the post, but no-one can react to stab home.
75 King almost strikes! A ball is played over the top and King brings it down superbly. He takes a touch and has a shot but Wollacott is equal to it
77 Another Forest Green sub... Mondal is off and Mills is on in his place.
83 Our final change.. Billing is on in place of Kilkenny, who has one well throughout the evening.
86 Another push... Fraser whips in a corner and it bubbles about eventually falling to Simpson, but the defender wasn't expecting it and couldn't get it under control. Wollacott collects as a result.
87 What a save! Biggest chance of the game. Wollacott saves again. Another corner comes in and King is on the end of it but Forest Green's keeper produces an outstanding save to keep the scores level.
Full time We've had all the possession but couldn't convert one of many chances. We're heading for a penalty shoot out.
AFCB possession 74%, shots 23, shots on target 6, corners 11, fouls 10
Forest Green possession 26%, shots 6, shots on target 2, corners 3, fouls 6
Penalties in front of Ted MacDougall stand
King scores 1-0 AFCB
Mills saved by Travers 1-0 AFCB
Solanke scores 2-0 AFCB
Travers saves again from Kevin Dawson 2-0 AFCB
Ibe has penalty saved 2-0 AFCB
Travers saves James Morton's penalty 2-0 AFCB
Billing scores 3-0 AFCB
Mark Travers is the hero with three penalty saves!
In other news Sam Surridge scored twice in Swansea City's 6-0 demolition of Cambridge Utd.
Callum Wilson is being left with 2 markers and in a crowded penalty box has had little delivery to him. Last night, Solanke was playing too far apart from him, Why wasn't Solanke pushed up next to Callum? This meant on occasions Solanke was closer to "sideways" Surman. Agree that Solanke needs to sort his feet out. Maybe a session or two with "come Dancing". Jordan Ibe - confidence after penalty miss must now be at an all-time low. How many" last chance saloons" can any player be given? Taxi for Ibe, sale him now. Positives from the game.... Mepham - "came of age"; Stacey looked Ok but in reality had little deep defending to do but possibly would allow Adam Smith to fill in as left-back v Leicester? Rico - taxi to Spain, clueless, this game showed he has not settled into the system, played too far apart from others making passing difficult to him. On loosing a ball he is very slow to recover ground. Kilkenny was a positive, not yet ready for Premiership but maybe the Cup run will give him that much-needed experience. Harry Wilson, still adapting to our system but with so many changes in personnel in this game difficult to judge. Just shows how immense Brooks is as an influencer on the game. Potentially Harry can jump up to the same level on his all-round game. Travers, brilliant headache for Eddie in having two goalies of class, looks very good for the long term future of the club. Lastly and most importantly, Forest Green rovers what a performance all the players and staff especially classy manager (see his post-match interview) were a total credit to their club, very well done; exemplified by the fact that in the 1st half O zero added minutes, FGR did not result to tactical or any intentional / cynical fouling.
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