Top Billing for Cherries in FA Cup win

Match Report

AFCB 4 v 0 Luton Town

FA Cup Third Round

4 January 2020

Attendance: 10,064

Bournemouth regain some pride with a strong FA Cup win.

This was a match that many fans thought Bournemouth didn't need, but it ended up being very good medicine. The Cherries finally found some form and with Philip Billing getting his first two goals for the club and Dominic Solanke getting his first competitive goal for the club. It was also a return to goal scoring form for Callum Wilson who netted for the first time since September. Luton Town did miss a penalty, but were never really able to repel Bournemouth's possession and dominance. Bournemouth will be ball number 14 in the next round.

The teams come onto the pitch.

Eddie Howe named a stronger side than expected with Billing, Solanke Harry Wilson and Ryan Fraser all getting starts. Callum Wilson and Sam Surridge were on the bench along with a well strapped up Jefferson Lerma.

Both sets of players stand with mental health awareness campaign.

Match Description
Francis won a corner in the first minute. Diego Rico then put Dominic Solanke in but his shot was turned round the post by the for a second corner. Solanke had looked on to score. 

Mepham tried to pick Fraser out but just over hit his pass. Rico then got down the outside and Harry Wilson shot over. Fraser added a third Bournemouth corner in an impressive opening few minutes for the home team.

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Fraser crossed for Solanke but the header was not strong enough and was misdirected. Diego Rico goes down the left again, picks out Billing and he volleys it down and into the back of the net 1-0 on eight minutes. A great star for Bournemouth.

Sheehan takes the first shot for Luton but hits it well over.

Surman is getting time on the ball and is picking out some good passes. Francis wins a corner on 15 minutes. Solanke heads it in 2-0. There is a VAR check no goal. It looked like Harry Wilson was standing on an offside position near the keeper. It has been disallowed, which is a pity for Dominic Solanke who still awaits a first goal for Bournemouth.

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Rico works another corner which the keeper collects. Billing has misplaced a pass and Cornick is through against Mark Travers, but the keeper saves and Mepham clears. Mepham is injured but after treatment is okay to continue.

Solanke gets up the left but Billing has his shot blocked.

Sheehan was fouled but the free kick is right down Travers' throat. Simpson gets hold of Cornick. before Harry Wilson tackles Sheehan. Butterfield then has a shot over from outside the box.

Harry Wilson wins a free kick. Fraser whips it on but its well defended. A cross from the right is brought down by Lee, but his shot rises over the goal.

Fraser wins a corner. Cornick runs at the Bournemouth defenders, but is stopped on half way.

Fraser chips in a good ball. Luton may have a hand ball against them from a pass from Billing but it's just a corner.

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Rico's cross is saved. There is a coming together - Billing is involved and is booked as is Jones. Fraser is fouled on the corner, and it's punched out by the keeper to Stanislas and deflects for a corner.

Four added minutes are held up. Billing and Fraser don't find enough space to get a shot away.

Harry Wilson gets in but the keeper blocks for a corner. Harry Cornick then wins a corner for Luton. Pearson goes down in the box with his foot getting trodden on by Billing - penalty! VAR check.

Penalty. Sheehan hits the bar from the spot. Harry Wilson goes down in the follow up.

Bournemouth survive a late scare at the end of the first half to go in 1-0 up.

Second half
Fraser puts in a cross that Billing hits but is blocked. Fraser to Rico and the cross is out for a corner.
The corner goes over Solanke and Harry Wilson fires it just wide of the right post.

Luton have a fee kick. Fraser kicks it and Lee fires over.

Solanke passes through to Stanislas but he's lifted it over. Lee goes for goal from a long way out but the curling shot is over hit by a whisker.

Harry Wilson goes for goal after a Luton throw but by the keeper saves to his left. Bournemouth have a corner but lose it by taking it short. Billing shoots wide after a long build up. Fraser shoots, but hits one of his own players.

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Fraser is caught offside. Stanislas is subbed for Callum Wilson on 66 minutes.

Pearson makes a mistake and Harry Wilson is on it and the pass to Callum and its 2-0 on 68 minutes. Luton sub Butterfield for Berry and Moncur for Bolton.

Fraser almost gets in but the keeper comes out. Billing has a shot blocked by Pearson. Sheehan is subbed for Bree and Rico is replaced by Steve Cook on 78 minutes.

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Harry Wilson crosses to Philip Billing and his shot deflects in off Daniels for 3-0 on 79 minutes. Francis is subbed for Dobre.

Callum Wilson crosses from the left and its broken for Solanke who has scored! It dribbled over the line but its in 4-0 on the 80th minute.

Simpson almost gets on the end of a Francis cross. Dobre wins a corner. Billing doesn't shoot, much to the home fans' disappointment. One minute of added time.

A big scoreline and some confidence restored.

Summary

A very welcome win for Bournemouth. Eddie Howe can be very pleased to finally get a result, even if it is in the cup rather than the league. The pleasing thing is players that needed to score did and the team kept a clean sheet. Luton might not have been stiff competition, but Bournemouth found their rhythm to some extent which has been absent for a while. Billing was the central figure in the game, sometimes making mistakes but ultimately coming up with the goals to get Bournemouth through the tie. Dominic Solanke will also remember the game fondly having had a goal chalked off and then finally breaking his duck just before the end. We can only hope it is the start of many more goals for AFCB.

AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Ramsdale, S Cook, Lerma, Kilkenny, Dobre, C Wilson, Surridge

Luton Town
12 Simon Sluga, 6 Matthew Pearson, 28 Lloyd Jones, 44 Alan Sheehan (Bree 77), 11 Andrew Shinnie, 29 Jacob Butterfield (Berry 68), 33 D Daniels, 16 G Rea, 20 George Moncur (Bolton 68), 10 Elliot Lee, 14 Harry Cornick.

Luton Subs
4 Ryan Tuncliffe, 8 Luke Berry, 26 J Bree, 22 Luke Bolton, 19 James Collins,
25 Kazenga Lua Lua, 36 James Shea

Ref Watch: Darren England - 5/10 Not sure why there was not more time added at the end of the second half after several VAR delays and subs.

Cherry Chimes MoM: Philip Billing

AFCB Ratings: Travers 6, Francis 6, Mepham 6, Simpson 6, Rico 7, H Wilson 6, Surman 6, Billing 7, Fraser 6, Stanislas 5, Solanke 6.