A prime-time mess for Cherries against Palace

Match Report

Crystal Palace 1 v 0 AFCB

3 December 2019

Attendance: 23,497

AFCB are ready to play in their third kit.

Being the first ever game to be streamed on Amazon Prime wasn't all it was cracked up to be for AFCB fans. If playing against 10-men should give fans hope, why did Bournemouth's players go hiding against Crystal Palace? This was a must take three points when Sakho was sent off in the 19th minute. Bournemouth laboured with the ball and showed little imagination in front of goal. It was like watching a dog that didn't want to chase a stick. Well, now the Cherries are on deep trouble and will only have a few days to work out how it went so wrong at Palace.

The team talk without Steve Cook doesn't go so well.

Bournemouth changed their back four with Chris Mepham replacing Steve Cook. Harry Wilson also came in to replace Ryan Fraser and Philip Billing reacted Lewis Cook. Nathan Aké was made captain.

First half
Townsend got in behind but Solanke cleared before Palace won a free kick.

Milivojevic smashed way over the bar. Danjuma was next to make a good run up the left. Bournemouth then had their first corner but it was cut out at the front of the six yard box.

Danjuma again got in behind but could not get his header to a Bournemouth player.

Mepham blocked an Aanholt for a corner. Aké won the header and Milivojevic shoots wide with a chopped shot.

Townsend put a cross in for Zaha but he was crowded out. Billing won the header from the corner.
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Callum took a long ball well on the right and pulled it back to Lerma who had a shot blocked. Palace cleared the following corner.

Billing was run off the ball when he had a good attack on. Adam Smith was getting the better of Zaha.

Palace had Sakho sent off on 20 minutes. He took out Adam Smith on half-way in front of the dug outs.

Solanke wins free kick and Mepham went close with a shot saved. Danjuma over runs it on the left.

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Solanke had one man to beat but ran straight into him. Smith again deals with Zaha but Billing has to be sharp with Palace closing on his back pass.

Van Aanholt is subbed for Schlupp on 31 minutes. Palace have a free kick. Ramsdale punches clear. Ayew dribbles a dot at Ramsdale from the left wing which is easy to stop.

Townsend won a corner off of Adam Smith. Bournemouth almost headed it in their own net. The next corner bound in the box but Smith clears.

Bournemouth get the ball wide and Harry Wilson gets it through to Billing, but his snap shot was right at the keeper.

No final product for Bournemouth. Two minutes of added time.

It's been too pedestrian this half. McCarthy is booked.

The Crystals provide half-time entertainment.

Second half
McCarthy replaces Townsend. Harry Wilson puts a great ball in but Callum doesn't get it in the empty net. It must have had a Palace defender's touch as it's a corner.

Rico wins a corner. Lerma's cross is blocked. Another corner. Palace defend well enough.

Palace now have a corner. Ayew heads wide. Bournemouth are camped in the Palace half, but no shots on target yet. Solanke is booked on half way.

Francis and Fraser are coming on. Rico and Danjuma go off.

Fraser puts in a cross that 15 has to head behind. Lerma is carded for taking Zaha down.

Zaha in the box against Mepham no penalty.

Adam Smith is taken down. Another yellow for Palace - Milivojevic.

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Fraser crosses, keeper punches in front of Callum. Francis shoots but it's blocked for a corner.

Solanke gets down the right and in behind but tries to square it to Callum and hits his own heel. A great chance. Solanke made a huge mistake.

Ayew has a shot blocked. Schlupp is in with a chance and he's scored 1-0 Palace. Oh, what a calamity. Bournemouth have let the back door open for a sucker punch.

Bournemouth should be out of sight in this game but they're a goal down. Billing has been booked. Ramsdale has to make a save.

Corner to Palace. Callum into Solanke he doesn't shoot. A corner is all Bournemouth get.

Lewis Cook comes on for Billing. McArthur is booked for a foul on Cook.

Fraser to Lerma and the shot us topped away Callum goes down but no penalty. Mepham is on the floor and the free kick goes against him.

Francis blocks Schlupp. Four minutes of added time. Free kick to Palace. Adam Smith has hobbled off.

Lerma takes the long throw and Callum can't get there.

A very disappointing night.

Summary
Eddie has to sort this lot out fast. The confidence is shot in front of goal and at the back they can't keep a clean sheet. It is relegation form now and the writing is on the wall for some of these players. The only reputations that were enhanced were those players on the bench who did not get on. Some defeats are worse than others - this was a crushing 1-0 defeat.

AFCB Line-up

AFCB subs: Boruc, Francis, Gosling,  L Cook, Stacey, Fraser, Simpson

AFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 5, A Smith 6, Mepham 4, Ake 5, Rico 5, H Wilson 4, Billing 4, Lerma 5, Danjuma 5, Solanke 4, C Wilson 4.

Cherry Chimes MoM: Adam Smith

Ref Watch: Anthony Taylor 7/10 – no quibbles with the ref.

Crystal Palace

31 Guaita, 34 Kelly, 5 Tomkin, s, 12 Sakho, 3 van Aanholt (Schlupp 29),
10 Townsend (McArthy 45), 8 Kouyate, 4 Milivojevic, 18 McArthur, 11 Zaha, 9 Ayew

Palace Subs
13 Hennessey, 15 Schlupp, 17 Benteke, 22 McArthur, 23 Canarasa 44 Riedewald, 21 Wickham

Competition winners!
We had 44 entries on Twitter and Facebook for the Eddie Had A Dream book RT/share competition. Thanks for all those who entered.

The two competition winners who receive signed copies of Eddie Had A Dream and a medium Cherry Chimes T-shirt are Sam B@SJB6691 and David Lee @dsclee1

If you still want a copy of Eddie Had A Dream - you can buy online at https://amzn.to/2r9OauI or buy in person at In off The Far Post, 
901 Christchurch Rd, Pokesdown, Bournemouth