What's needed to give AFCB's home crowd a boost?

"Wins! Wins! Wins!" I hear you say. But is it that simple? My good friend Michael Dunne has mentioned on his All Department's podcast that the numbers have been significantly lower than might have been expected at recent home matches. It has been noticeable and yet few reasons have been given for the modest home gates of late. 

Take a seat - anywhere you like.

We would all like the home form to be better, but bigger crowd numbers might help those performances. One usually goes with the other. AFCB now sit 11th in the table and while that is a good position, it has not been the home performances that have been the main source of points to elevate them to that position. AFCB have W2, D1, L2  at home in the Championship, but it's early days and you won't win every game.

You would think that playing in front of an away crowd would be more difficult, but that's not been the case for AFCB so far. It is the quietness of Dean Court that has become a bit more of a hazard for the players who have struggled to reach last season's heights at home. I wonder if already some fans have become a bit over expectant on what the team can do in games and may have forgotten that they need to play a part, as they have done so well in the past to give the team that extra momentum to succeed.

Winning has become a bit of a habit in Eddie Howe's two year second reign as we have all seen. The figures speak for themselves - 52W, 22D and just 29L. But if we want that record to remain as strong or get even better it is important that we all continue to come to home games and gives as much vocal support as we can to the 11 players on the pitch.

The club still has a massive disadvantage compared to the financial clout of the fallen Premier League sides in the Championship and the kind of gates that they can attract. If people have been staying at home because of finances I can understand, but with record shirt and merchandise sales I can't see that being the whole story. Topping the league at the start of the season saw attendances well over 10,000, but since then they have fallen to a low of 8480 for the visit of Rotherham, and even the last match at home against Wigan only pulled in 8754 fans, last season that fixture saw a crowd of 9097. I don't believe that fans are tiered of the Championship, and you can't really blame it on the weather as it's only been of late that winter has started to come in.

Last season, it was the Tuesday night match at home against Huddersfied that saw the lowest gate for one of AFCB's league games at 7258, but only that match and the Barnsley Tuesday night fixture fell below 8000. All Saturday games last season were higher than 9000 with the one exception of the Doncaster game that was 8983. So Saturday fixtures are not as strong as they might be this season, but it is the sound that I notice has been quieter. I am sure some big home wins and a climb up the table would raise the statistics, but if they do not start to rise, then it could bring into question how much the club really does need a permanent and bigger stand at the South End?

At least Charlton fans are coming down in numbers for this next match. They sold their allocation of 1424 tickets several days ago. We can't blame the away fans if the gate is not full on Saturday, but the price of watching football is out stretching the cost of living as the BBC's report revealed this week.

What do you think about the attendances at Dean Court? Are they down because of results or are prices really starting to keep people away? Get involved in the discussion with the MatchChat comment tool below. 

Will AFCB try and make more of Yann's heading ability?

Yann is the man for AFCB.

Last season we saw how good Yann Kermorgant was in the air. He basically dismantled Doncaster at home in the 5-0 win with his powerful finishing. When I look at Kermorgant though I don't see a player who instantly would be expected to score lots from headers but his determination to out jump opponents seems to take defenders by surprise and I think some of that comes down to his positional play and the timing of his runs.

There has been a distinct lack of headed goals in recent seasons at Dean Court and now that the team has a known strong header of the ball we might see the tactic used a bit more. I still expect Bournemouth to play with the flowing passing game but if anything more crosses may be supplied to the Frenchman if he is seen as the main strike force in the team.

Certainly Kermorgant has the ability to score 10 or more headed goals a season with the right delivery and over the summer the players will have a lot of time to work on how best to find him in the box when he shows how he likes to pull off the defenders to find space and make goal scoring opportunities. The pleasing aspect of Kermorgant's play though is that he is more than a striker who simply scores with his head. He has shown that he is an instinctive striker and also an unselfish one on many occasions. It maybe that we see an even more hungry Yann Kermorgant come August when he looks to show that he is the main man up front now.  Already in the Dorchester match he has demonstrated how eager he is to get on the goal scorers list and I expect a few more hat-tricks from Yann in the games to come.  

Yann - so calm in front of goal.

Eddie Howe has said that Ryan Fraser came off with a slight injury in the Dorchester game while Tommy Elphick and Tokelo Rantie were rested, the later because of a groin strain. 

Just to remind us all that Yann can also hit a free kick, thanks to Steve Wright's clip you can watch Yann's free kick against Dorchester Town. You even get Steve's knee as a bonus!

Are there too many fouls in the Championship?

I remember my playing days fondly as all middle aged men probably do. I used to play on the playground as well as on the school pitches and while we used to tackle pretty hard I don't remember so many poor challenges as we see in the professional game today. One of my friends did have his leg broken during a school game but that was the only major injury that I recall. As boys playing for your school team the aim was never to hurt the opposition or to try and get an advantage by fouling deliberately to break up a move, but today you see shirt pulling and arm pulling all the time at corners and during general play. But I wonder if such tactics are self-defeating?

If referees didn't allow a few infringements to go unnoticed
we would probably have 5 against five on the pitch by half time.

It is good to know that AFCB are top of one table. The Cherries were the best team in not conceding too many penalties (just 3 all season) or suffering many goals from free kicks, but I can think of one or two last season that were costly challenges. The Cherries only committed 390 fouls in total, which was by far the lowest in the Championship with the next cleanest team being Doncaster on 429 - so much for the dirty northern slogan. Bournemouth did collect their fair share of yellow cards though, a healthy 65 and 4 reds, but Watford managed to pick up 102 yellows and Blackpool went to town on 10 red cards with 11 penalties conceded. The chief fouling team of all though were Yeovil Town with a whopping 588 free kicks taken against them. Perhaps Gary Johnson no longer needs to wonder why they let in so many goals from dead ball situations.

The game has changed though and it is such a game of chess that dead ball situations are sought after today, especially with so many free kick specialists. And yet defenders still try and get away with near-like rugby tackles if the referee is not watching and it does not make for great spectator viewing. A full table of the discipline for clubs in the Championship is give on the Football League website.

It makes me think are the yellow and red card punishments really the only way of dealing with persistent foulers? I know sin bins have been considered and even trialed, but I am not a fan of 9 against 11 etc. We want teams to see that ability should win the day and not cheating, but the money involved in the game today is so vast that winning is a must at almost any cost. A foul if you can get away with it is deemed worth the risk nine times out of 10. 

We may like to see a clean game of football but it just isn't so easy anymore. Is it any wonder that the referees are becoming more well known when they have to make decisions on players that are stretching the rules all the time? Sometimes, we don't know how lucky we are at AFCB to see a good game of football most weeks rather than a stop start free kick horror show, but we are not in the playground anymore and Championship teams will be taught such gamesmanship by some coaches that are well learnt in such under hand tactics. Ask yourself though is it football? 

Today, we also have written a small piece on World Cup Chimes about the Brazuca - do you know what that is? 

The Championship remains a thrilling league

While AFCB have had a pretty good run since the beginning of the year it has always been difficult to know where they might pick up points and where they would drop them. That is the Championship for you. It's unpredictable right down to the final games. I find it great that even now there are teams that don't know if they will be in the play-offs and others who don't know if they will be relegated and yet the season is almost done and dusted. 

We can cheer the boys on and say goodbye for the summer at Millwall.

At the top of the league it will be a simple battle of who gets the best result for Brighton and Reading and I have a sneaky feeling that Brighton may do it looking at how Forest were dismantled by the Cherries last weekend. I am more intrigued by what could happen at the bottom of the Championship. Birmingham have hardly been in the bottom three all season but find themselves there with a game to go. It really may depend on whether they can get a point at Bolton, because I can't see Leicester taking it easy in their last home game against Doncaster. Yet the final day often brings unthinkable results and if both Donny and Birmingham find themselves winning with 10 minutes to go I met start feeling a bit nervous in the away end at Millwall. Of course if Doncaster do fall then both them and Yeovil who came up with the Cherries last season will have just lasted the one season which shows you how difficult it is for a club coming up from League One in this division.

I must admit that I like to often be at home on the sofa for the last game of the season as you can watch the TV and that thrill of the cameras going from one ground to another as the scores change. I'll have to rely on the radio and the mobile phone if I can get a signal and I am not even a fan of one of those teams that are in danger or looking to get into the play-offs. We still want to know what is happening though and where the axe is going to fall. If I had to put money on it in the Championship I would sadly say that Birmingham may be the team to lose out, but what gives me hope for them is that they are playing away. So I am going to predict that they cling on to a point with Doncaster losing out on goal difference. Something about having a more southern may have led me to come up with that romantic forecast. Still we will have a party at the Den where both teams I hope can celebrate after the match and look forward to the next season.

For those of you who are brave enough to bet on the outcome of such games you are invited to use Free Bet Negotiator which sponsors Cherry Chimes. Free Bet Negotiator is giving Free Bets to all the fans!

If you have not had a visit to their site you can click on this special Cherry Chimes' Free Bet Negotiator link and the video below shows you how simple it is to place a bet and then get your free bet.  

O'Kane won't be on the bench for long

We are not used to seeing Eunan O'Kane having to be careful not to get splinters from the subs' bench. An enforced absence at Derby though after the injury he received during the Burnley game did see Eunan stay in his track suit for the Doncaster game. I don't think he will want to be sitting on the bench for long, although I am sure he will be as pleased as anyone that the Cherries won convincingly against Doncaster.

Eunan is one of AFCB's form players for the season
and he'll be itching to get back in the team.

You would find it hard for Eddie to change much having seen the team play so well against Doncaster, although an away match brings up separate problems and challenges that the team must prepare for. In the past it has been Eunan that has been a crucial factor in some of the best away performances that the team has had and so as harsh as it may be, Eddie may want to bring a fully fit O'Kane back into the starting line up. If he does it may be that hat-trick hero Yann Kermorgant makes way for the extra midfielder, but that would be a tough call. Still if it's the right one, Eddie will make it.

Having seen how the team played against Doncaster I would like the same 11 to start again because they have produced the best performance of the season. It shows you how much stronger the team is now compared to last season when a player drops out for a game and finds it difficult to make the bench at times let alone the starting line up. It's not just Eunan that wants to get back into the team and if Eddie is leaving players of the quality of Shaun MacDonald out of the match day squad then it speaks volumes for what is happening at Dean Court. Such a decision probably allowed Mohamed Coulibaly a place on the bench after his long absence and to see him get a run out, if only for 10 minutes against Doncaster, is a sign that there is another player that wants to play a part in the last part of the season.

Eunan has certainly enjoyed the challenge of the Championship.

The competition for starting places is becoming very healthy and when Charlie Daniels and Elliott Ward come back into contention it really is going to be a struggle to fit everyone on that bench. This coming weekend though I believe Eddie Howe has a very big decision to make over Eunan O'Kane and it may be that he finds it wisest to give Surman and Arter the first 60 minutes and only then to bring Eunan back into the fray gradually. He may feel that Arter or Surman need a rest, but I doubt it some how. I can only see them as starters.

But how do you feel about the possibility of Kermorgant and Rantie being kept on the bench to allow O'Kane back into the team? For me Rantie has done a lot of travelling and should be on the bench, while Grabban has shown he is great playing up front alone so I would bring O'Kane back in. Over to you Eddie. 

Check out the Rival Lines tab to hear John Campbell give his thoughts ahead of the Blackpool v AFCB match. Find out what he puts Blackpool's current slide in form down to.

You can back the team this weekend and win a few bob yourself if you are over 18 by placing a bet on Free Bet Negotiator. Best of luck.

Time to put a run together

We all knew that the Doncaster game was a biggie. A defeat or a draw would have still left a lot of question marks about how easy AFCB will find it to put some distance between them and the bottom teams. While three points on its own won't carry them that far away, the table certainly makes easier reading this compared to last week. Now the project starts to grow as Eddie Howe asks his players to get back-to-back wins with a big away performance at Blackpool.

AFCB players must be in confident mood as they head to Blackpool.

Again we know that this side has it in them to beat good teams away from home. Picking up points on the road has been one of the pleasing things about the team since November after a period when they had some difficult games early on in the season at new grounds. The Cherries have a way of playing away from home now that has given them some stability and something they can build on. I also think that the players like going to the big grounds as much as the supporters. Turning it on at big grounds is something that has given the players belief that they have arrived in the Championship and that they are good players. The final ingredient will be the consistency that Eddie Howe will want.

To be fair to the players, I believe they have been fairly consistent in their performances since early December and yet have not always got the results or shall I say the decisions that were merited. You kind of make your own luck in this game they say and it may just be that the Cherries are due some luck and a few wins to help them on their way. The team certainly can't relax yet, even if BBC's Tony Husband already says they'll be safe. There are several teams just below AFCB that are capable of putting runs together and it is important that the Cherries don't lose the momentum that has now been built up following the 5-0 thrashing of Doncaster. You can tell that I don't tire of saying that.

There was something extra that they found in the Doncaster game. Some will say Doncaster were poor, but AFCB did not let them get into their stride and to keep them completely quiet for 90 minutes was something that few other teams have done against them this season. The attacks from AFCB just kept coming and it is that kind of momentum that Bournemouth have to try and take into the coming games.

I have said that this team is capable of going through March unbeaten whether that is with a few or many wins and some draws along the way. One defeat can just as quickly shatter the feeling of invincibility, but I don't see AFCB shipping as many goals now and while they have some tough games against Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Leeds to come they are not teams that should cause any need for our players to doubt their abilities. The Cherries might not yet be dining at the top table in this division but they can start to swap seats with a few of the mid-table siblings that may have bigger names but are not playing as consistently as AFCB.

Looking at the standard they hit last Saturday they could be safe by the end of this month which would be a huge achievement. While you might say that is an ambitious target, it is only right that the team should be looking to do more than just scrape by and start to look at what they can achieve rather than worry about what everyone else is doing. If AFCB get the results then everything else will look after itself.

Check out the Rival Lines tab to hear John Campbell give his thoughts ahead of the Blackpool v AFCB match. Find out what he puts Blackpool's current slide in form down to.

Rocket Ryan was on fire against Donny

I am not sure what Eddie Howe put in Ryan Fraser's porridge last week but was I the only one to think that he was leaving fire trails all over the pitch with his blazing runs against Donny? In the first half I though young Ryan was simply unplayable. He was electric in his bursts down the left wing and he was causing absolute mayhem among the Doncaster back ranks.

Ryan will look to establish himself further in Scotland's U21 squad
playing against Hungary tonight.

I am not surprised that he was subbed in the second half because he really ran his socks off and when Ryan plays like that the whole of the division is going to sit up and take notice. While he may be kicking himself for not getting a goal he should not worry too much as he put the after burners on for most of the match and did more than enough to impress. His big moment did come in that first half though when he played a delightful one-two that put him clean through on goal. The move was perhaps so good that it came as a bit of a shock to the Wee man and while he picked his spot and kept his shot low he must have been gutted to sere Johnstone pull off such a magnificent save down to his right.

Ryan has certainly come of age and is starting to do things that other players could only dream of. He is stepping his game up to another level from what I can see and if he continues like this he is going to attract the attention of Gordan Strachan for the full Scottish squad soon. It is not only that Ryan has such tremendous pace, but that he frustrates and scares the life out of midfielders and defenders with his direct running. It was no surprise to see Doncaster's Paul Keegan shouting at him get up when he had just been dribbled by again by Ryan which had left the midfielder with no option but to stick a leg out. Someone was going to pick up a yellow card marking Ryan and Keegan duly obliged.

Goal scoring will be the area of the game where Ryan will look to improve further, but his role in the team continues to grow with him taking on more duties like the corner kicking at times. his rate of development is stella class and it must give those in the Development squad something to aim at when they see how well Ryan has been doing in the first team. I see that Josh O'Hanlon was also called up for the Republic of Ireland's U19 two matches against Romania this week, which is more good news, while we will see how Ranti gets on against Brazil.

Of course,e also wish Ryan good luck tonight as he lines up against Hungary for Scotland's U21 side and Tannadice.

Eddie's clever player management

Eddie Howe is a bit of a magician when it comes to knowing what is required in terms of players for certain games. He rest players as soon as they are a bit out of form and is not afraid of dropping anyone, because it's the team that must come first. So how clever has he been with his decision to hold back Yann Kermorgant from the starting line up until he felt Yann was ready?

Eddie Howe likes to keep player choices quiet.

It appears that Eddie again knows best and has played a blinder. Fans may have been calling for Yann to start earlier than the Doncaster game but Eddie was having none of it. To integrate a player they need time and while I could see that Yann was a strong player with some great touches he was looking around a little in his first few appearances trying to make sure he was not getting in the way of runs from other players. So at times he might have been a bit of a statue, but there was none of that last Saturday. Against Doncaster he knew exactly where he needed to be and what he had to do. I was shocked at the amount of space Doncaster were giving him, but he is such a quality player in the air that he was always going to make them pay with the crosses that coming in.

The important thing for AFCB is that they now have a player who will get on the end of the crosses from Francis and Harte in particular. It has been almost a crime to see the deep crosses angled in with such aplomb and nobody getting anywhere near them. That's going to change now and it's another dimension to the teams play. In the past teams have known that Bournemouth are simply going to try and pass their way through, but this is an extra arrow to the bow and the team can switch to high crosses if needed.

I do see Yann as much more than just a good heading striker. He has fast feet and a good touch and if he blossoms in the new surroundings at the Goldsands he could very soon become a player that is difficult to leave out.

Yann showed his Championship finishing ability against Doncaster,
but I can also see him making assists for others.

Eddie was not worried about leaving Tokelo Rantie out of the first 11 for the Doncaster match either. Whether this was also because he has a friendly to play against Brazil in the week is hard to tell, but TK had started the previous game. It is also noticeable that Eddie did not rush Eunan O'Kane back into the starting line up either but is giving him time to recover. 

However, clever Eddie is with his player management he will have to upset one or two and Brett Pitman and Shaun MacDonald are starting to look like players that are going to have to do something special to win back a place. Meanwhile, Adam Smith is still waiting to get his turn.

The players have to have faith in Eddie Howe though because he gets it right usually. Look at Ian Harte and his confidence now at left back. He is showing just why he was brought in and his touch and vision is something that is contributing to many of the positive performances now. Charlie had better watch out.

Surman is the unsung hero

What can you say about Andrew Surman? I believe he has been playing particularly well of late and yet he keeps his head down and doesn't get the limelight of many of the other players. Eddie Howe certainly likes him in the team though and as the season has gone on he has become a stronger player. The next few games for him may well go a long way towards whether Eddie decides to try and sign him permanently or let him return to Norwich City next season.

Surman's ball winning and intricate passing are starting to get noticed.

We all know that there is one area of his game where we would like him to be doing better. Yep, his shooting in front of goal. But in recent matches he has been striking the ball well and has been a tad unlucky I would say not to get on the score sheet. Only a deflection stopped him scoring against Burnley, while Doncaster's keeper made some great saves including one against a shot from Andrew from a corner early on that he tipped over the cross bar.

But Surman's game is more than just that. He played slightly more advanced than Arter in the first half against Doncaster but if anything was sitting deeper in the second half to let Harry push up from what I could see. But it was all the little tackles, the foot in when Doncaster players had possession that get unnoticed and it was Surman who was doing a lot of ball winning and pressurising Doncaster players into mistakes. He is an energetic player that is getting from box to box more often now and he is one of the players that is quite happy in and around the opposition's D where I feel he does his best work in filtering passes through to Grabban, Pugh and Fraser on a regular basis. He is a neat and tidy player that looks to help others and while he is doing that and letting others shine he has managed to get a good run in the team.

Play maker, Surman is creating space for others to do their thing.

Yes we want him to open his scoring account for the Cherries, but he is doing many other good things and when he does score I believe it will be one of the most celebrated goals by all the players, because they know how hard Andrew works for the team over the 90 minutes.

Arter finds his range

I have been one of those who have said AFCB's central midfield players should be getting on the score sheet more often. How delighted was I then that Harry Arter suddenly found his range against Doncaster. It is intriguing that Harry was also playing in a fairly defensive midfield role for large parts of the game, but as Bournemouth started to get on top he did come forward more often. Running up late to the edge of the box is something that paid off really well on the day and I would expect him to be doing the same in the remaining games now.

Arter sharpens his shooting before the Doncaster game.

What I was most pleased about was the accuracy of the shooting from Harry and heading from Yann Kermorgant. So many times we have seen AFCB players get into positions to score but have not found the finish. The clinical finishing finally arrived and I am sure most of it is just having that bit of confidence. Harry's first goal was an absolute rocket which gave the keeper no chance and it was probably the best goal of the game. I don't think Johstone in Doncaster's goal had any chance of getting near it.

Eddie Howe will surely also be delighted that AFCB's players have managed to score so many goals at home in one game. Up until now it has been the away performances that have really been the best displays by the team and it is good for the home supporters to see how the team can play when they get into their stride.

For Harry we will hope for more of the same in the next few weeks. UTCIAD!

You can catch up on in depth discussion on the AFCB v Doncaster game on All Departments latest Kangaroo Court. The podcast is also on Cherry Chimes right hand panel of the blog, scroll down and click on the sound bar. There's also a Jeff Mostyn interview below it.

The Cherries put in a dominant performance

Saturday's win against Doncaster has set the standard for home games now. AFCB need Dean Court to be a fortress and this is the first time this season when the Cherries have really put a team to the sword. The dominance was very evident in the second half and while the goals came at good times the players earned the right to play some keep ball towards the end of the game.

AFCB looked a top Championship side in every aspect on Saturday.

You do start to wonder whether the current back four are now going to make it extremely difficult for Daniels, Ward and Smith to get an opportunity to come into the side. I am pleased for those who are doing well and I don't see why anything needs to change while things are working well on the pitch. The clean sheet has been coming but not many fans would have expected AFCB to show quite how on top of another they could be at this level. The stats do point towards the kind of display that is difficult to fault. But I bet Eddie will find something that the team could have done better. AFCB had  26 shots and 11 on target. I am not sure when Doncaster managed to have their eight attempts, but Camp certainly had an easier afternoon than he would have expected with only two saves to make. 

The corner count really does point out how on top Bournemouth were with 10 compared to none. When you know that you are facing a team with strong heading power and a team that is good at set-pieces you want to stop them getting chances from these instances. AFCB nullified the strongest points of Doncaster's game and the opposition just did not get a chance to get into the game.

But there was also plenty of creativity about the Cherries and the movement up front with Fraser and Surman I thought was especially good. Now that the ice has been broken in terms of putting away chances it is only right that Eddie Howe demands similar standards from his players in the coming games.

You can catch up on in depth discussion on the AFCB v Doncaster game on All Departments latest Kangaroo Court. The podcast is also on Cherry Chimes right hand panel of the blog, scroll down and click on the sound bar. There's also a Jeff Mostyn interview below it.

Hat-trick Yann is already the Cherry on top

AFCB fans probably don't care too much who gets the goals as long as someone starts hitting the back regularly. You can't help but smile though at what Yann Kermorgant has achieved in his first start at Dean Court. If you asked him what he dreamt about on Friday night I don't think it would have been a much better dream than what we saw played out on Saturday against a bewildered Doncaster Rovers.

Quality is what Eddie wanted to bring in during January and
Yann has certainly added to the strength of the squad. 

Many fans of the Cherries have said all season that the team was crying out for someone who could head the ball well. Guess what, AFCB now have such a player. And not just a player that is good with his heading ability. Yann is showing many other qualities as well. Take away his goals on Saturday and just think about his overall game for a moment. He linked up superbly well with Surman, Grabban and Fraser in particular and he is at ease with his back to goal or facing it and waiting for a chance.

While his overhead kicks may still need a bit of work you couldn't really say that anything didn't come off for Yann on the day. His first goal was not only a matter of being in the right place at the right time but having the confidence to direct the cross into the goal without a moments though which caught out Johnstone in goal. His second finish was more majestic in out leaping the defenders and it was a strike that gave Bournemouth breathing space. Towering headers are simply something we have not seen much of since the days of Super Fletch. When the chance came for Yann's third goal I could not see him doing anything but burying it and he did.

Yann at the start of his hat-trick day.

Confidence is a weird thing but he will surely be buzzing all week now. The thrill of scoring three goals in a game at any stage of your career must be special but to do it for a new team where you are desperate to try and fit in quickly is even more amazing for him, and I am sure the match against Doncaster will already rank as one of his most popular days in his career. Yann you have taken to us and we have certainly taken to you. Yann is the man or to be more accurate, he is the Cherry on top for Eddie Howe and his team! 

How fitting it is for an AFCB player to score a hat-trick this week when all the talk has been about the 10 year anniversary of James Hayter's fastest ever hat-trick against Wrexham.

Oh please Kerm again to Dean Court Doncaster 5:0

Match Report

AFCB 5 v 0 Doncaster Riovers

1 March 2014

Attendance 8983

It was billed as a must win game for both teams and yet I am struggling to remember such a one sided game at Dean Court in the last year. This was not a close game as had been predicted by so many but a demolition of a team that had not yet found its feet in the Championship against another that has fully adjusted and has finally grown some teeth in front of goal. If the score had been six, seven or eight nil, Paul Dickov still could not have moaned, because his side were out passed, out fought and out scored in a dazzling display that even caused him to shake hands with Yann Kermorgant when he was subbed after scoring his first hat-trick for the Cherries in his first home start at Dean Court.

All systems go, AFCB and Doncaster line up for the game with the mascots behind.

Eddie Howe had decided not to play Tokelo Rantie from the start and removed the South African international to the bench to let Kermorgant have his start, while Ryan Fraser came in for Marc Pugh on the wing. 

Alexander Mawhinney borrowed a shirt from fellow AFCB supporter Deklan Hill so
that he could be an AFCB mascot for the Doncaster game. Thanks to all those who
offered to help out Alexander, I get the feeling he had a good day.

Catch up on more pictures from the scenes at Dean Court yesterday by visiting Match Day Gallery.

With Doncaster's dog mascot and Cherry Bear having stretched their limbs and an eager home crowd looking pensive over what the afternoon might bring, the two teams began proceedings and if you were expecting a physical battle, the early signs backed that up as Kermorgant hit the deck quickly as Doncaster's centre halves made their presence felt.

It was Ryan Fraser that was buzzing around the fastest though and provided a good cross as early as the third minute that Kermorgant headed straight at Sam Johnstone in Doncaster's goal. While I looked to work out Donny's formation, it appeared that it was a 4-4-2 with Brown and Wellens most forward. Doncaster soon got into their stride with Coppinger on the left wing working with Richie Wellens, but Jordan Bowery was caught offside.

While AFCB were careful in possession at the back with Cook and Elphick they were looking to spring Grabban and Fraser early when they could and Grabban was next to be flagged offside after Arter's good work to rob James Coppinger of the ball.

Coppinger and Wellens were looking the most lively of Doncaster's players in the early stages, but they were being kept out of the Cherries box and Dean Furman was the first to have a shot from outside the area which was high and wide on 10 minutes.

Ritchie then had his shot deflected and Grabban retrieved the ball  for Francis before seeing Doncaster clear again. Meanwhile Elphick was quickly on Wellens when he made the break. The first real hairy moment for Doncaster's keeper came on 13 minutes when he raced out to stop Grabban getting on the end of a pass from Arter. A moment later it was Fraser who did a great one-two on the edge of the box but he hit his shot straight at the keeper having got into the box. The corner went over Kermorgant and out of play.

Doncaster saw Husband getting more into the game as the left back pushed forward. Brown and Coppinger were unable to build on his play though and after a Ritchie clearance then put the Cherries on the attack with Surman having a shot tipped over. Fraser did a neat turn but he also found his shot blocked.

Some 20 minutes had passed by and Bournemouth were starting to get control. Surman was getting his foot in frequently, winning the ball back and setting up play and he even blasted a thunder bolt off that would have taken the net off had it been on target but it smashed its way into the South stand. A second later it was Kermorgant who shot wide.

Elphick was still having an aerial struggle with Brown and when Camp released the ball quickly Meite and Johnstone were soon under great pressure from Kermorgant. Elphick was less pleased when Francis tried a back pass that was a bit close for comfort with Brown lurking, but he got away with it.

The physical contest caught up with Fraser though as he was brought down by Keegan who picked up the first yellow card on 24 minutes. It was Ritchie then who had a shot deflected in the box and a corner was won. AFCB's had a one-two that broke down but a cross from the Ian Harter left found its way to Kermorgant off a Doncaster head. He was unmarked in the box and he did not hesitate to finish instinctively by directing the ball at goal and under the keeper's legs to make it 1-0. The Cherries had that vital first goal after 25 minutes.

While we celebrated in the stand Surman and Francis almost played Fraser in. It was Surman then who was brought down inside the box and we screamed penalty and yet the assistant referee and referee did not even give it a moments thought, waving away any protest. Not surprisingly the "you're not fit to referee chants," were shouted out.

Brown then fouled Arter and AFCB had a free kick, but no yellow card for Brown. The game slowed a little up to the half hour mark but the Cherries always looked dangerous with Ryan Fraser on the left wing. But it was Ian Harte after some glory when he had a bash from distance that was well wide.

Fraser was still picking up free kicks and Ritchie was putting in some good crosses, while Grabban almost ran on to an Arter pass that saw Johnstone coming racing out again, jumping in ahead of the forward to clear. Ritchie was next to win a free kick as AFCB pushed Doncaster back. 

A Doncaster break with Khumalo and Husband saw Furman head wide on 39 minutes, but Bournemouth were just about to turn the screw. Fraser and Kermorgant linked up again and the wee man found himself in the box and in the clear and he struck his shot from around 14 yards to the right side of the goal but Johnstone made a finger tip save which was simply magnificent. 41 minutes had gone and 1-0 would be a slender lead to take in at the break, but while the corner led to nothing the score was about to be doubled.

A Ritchie cross on the right was blocked, but Francis was right behind him and his cross curled into the box and there was Yann Kermorgant to head home a 2-0 lead on 43 minutes. Ecstasy for the home crowd. This game we sensed was ours.

As if to underline that Grabban almost stole in from the restart. But we were happy enough at 2-0 as the half time whistle went.

Half time and the Cherriets keep the entertainment going.

Second half

Paul Dickov made two subs at half time to try and stem the tide. On came Coterill and Robinson for Furman and Bowery. Arter gave away a free kick on Cotterill but Doncaster lost the ball and Grabban was caught offside. Meite made a great tackle on Grabban on 48 minutes, but AFCB were pushing for more goals.

While Ritchie was getting stuck in at the corner, the ball eventually came out and when Bournemouth found their shots blocked in the area the ball kindly fell to Arter on the edge of the area and he made no mistake, burying the ball in the back of the net with a superb rocket of a strike on 50 minutes, 3-0.

I think most AFCB supporters were now fully relaxed and just enjoying the entertainment from this point on. The first thing to enjoy was Steve Cook's kind of tackle when he slipped on his backside but still recovered well enough not once but twice to make crucial interceptions. Robinson was a bit bewildered quite how he had out foxed him.

Simon Francis went down for a moment, much to Doncaster's annoyance as they were on a good break. But it had taken the referee ages before he had stopped play. Tamas then picked up a yellow card for a foul on Fraser. Grabban was still running strongly while getting his shirt tugged by Meite.   

AFCB were dominating play and Doncaster did not seem to have an answer. The main solution was for Johnstone to come out and kick poorly to clear or for their midfield to just try and stop the balls being passed through them. Bournemouth's passing though was crisp and fast and a real pleasure to watch. Grabban was getting caught offside fairly frequently as he sought to get on the score sheet, while Khumalo was another Doncaster player to pick up a yellow card.

Surman was still doing much of the hard and unglamourous work but he was also getting forwards and won a corner on 64 minutes, having seen Fraser and Ritchie not quite get away from a ball over the top Surman had just tried a shot from distance. Cook received treatment for a facial injury on 68 minutes, but there was no way he was coming off.

Kermorgant got clipped and it looked like a Doncaster player would get away with it, but the fourth official came on to explain to the ref that there had been some afters. It did not affect the Frenchman though as he steamed into the box to meet Francis' cross from the right to make it a memorable hat-trick and a 4-0 scoreline on 73 minutes. It was party time now.

Doncaster were going to give it one last go with a right wing cross from Tamas and then a shot from Robinson. AFCB had fresh legs to bring on though and Rantie came on for Kermorgant while Pugh replaced Fraser, both on 75 minutes. By now Johnstone's kicking was a source of amusement for most of the home crowd who were pleased to remind him of "that's why your going down, with Yeovil."

Cook and Harte were starting to enjoy themselves in coming forward now. While Doncaster were still working hard Cotterill and Coppinger could not make any inroads and Brown's shots were getting blocked.

Rantie's introduction did not fail to disappoint. He skinned Doncaster's defenders with glee and was probably the last thing they needed to see. Ritchie was finding lots of space again and while he got in a shooting position he tried to feed Grabban before Khumalo got a despairing last ditch interception in for a corner. The Keeper's punch out fell to hot shot Harry Arter on 80 minutes and he blazed in his second to take the Cherries into a 5-0 lead!

Time for Mr Coulibaly to come on and Grabban retired from the match on 81 minutes. Coulibaly some how won a corner when up against Khumalo even if it should have been a goal kick, but we weren't complaining after the decisions that had gone against the Cherries in the last few games.

Arter found Rantie in acres of space next but TK sadly pulled his shot wide, much to his frustration. Pugh was playing his part on the right wing with Ritchie tucked inside and Coulibaly on the left wing. Everywhere you looked AFCB had attacking options and you wondered what Paul Dickov could possibly be thinking - blow the whistle?

He did not have much longer to wait. While Robinson tried a long range shot on 89 minutes that went well wide, only four minutes of extra time went up which was probably kind to Donny. AFCB fans still shouted out "We want six" which is not something you hear often at Dean Court. They almost got their way as well when Rantie found space and got on the end of a Pugh pass only to blast his shot over from inside the box. Perhaps he will do better against Brazil next week? For this game though the match was well and truly over as a contest. It was an emphatic three points to the Cherries. 

Summary

This was the Cherries most complete performance of the season. The hummed and purred and at times you wondered can they really ever play any better than this? Doncaster may not have been the stiffest of opposition but they did not want to be on the end of a thrashing like that. They kept trying but were simply overwhelmed by the speed, creativity, power and accuracy of AFCB's finishing. There was a clean sheet as well and Lee Camp's spectator watch may need him to bring a comb and a mirror next week just to give him something to do during the 90 minutes.

When you think that O'Kane was not even introduced and Kermorgant looked like playing with AFCB was the most natural thing in the world, AFCB really clicked today. We have waited a long time to see the team mature to such a standard but everyone of them was a credit to themselves, the manager and the shirt. The three points is massive but the performance was historic. 

Now that's a score you don't see every day at Dean Court.

AFCB

Camp, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Harte, Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Fraser, Kermorgant, Grabban

AFCB Subs

Allsop, Smith, Coulibably, Pugh, Pitman, Rantie, O'Kane

AFCB Ratings

Camp 7, Francis 7, Elphick 8, Cook 7, Harte 7, Ritchie 7, Arter 8, Surman 8, Fraser 8 (Pugh75), Kermorgant 9 (Rantie 75), Grabban 7 (Coulibably 80).

Doncaster Rovers

Johnstone, Tamas, Husband, Wellens, Khumalo, Meite, Keegan, Furman (Cotterill 45), Brown, Coppinger, Bowery (Robinson 45)

Doncaster Subs

McCullough, Maxted, De Val, Cotterill, Robinson, Peterson, Stevens

The Doncaster game suddenly becomes a massive match

It has been very frustrating to see AFCB not able to pick up many points in recent weeks. The danger in that is that they have become a target for those teams chasing safety and are now within reach. The fixtures have not been kind to the Cherries in February and they have only had the chance to play Bolton of the lower teams in recent weeks. That game was drawn away from home but the Cherries must start winning at home against the teams that need putting away.

AFCB's players must hit top form now in the coming weeks.

That starts on Saturday with the visit of Doncaster Rovers. They are a team that has been down in the bottom third all season long and yet they are now only six points or two wins behind the Cherries. If they beat AFCB it looks like the battle to stay up is something that would include the Cherries, but a win would stretch AFCB away from danger and give them some breathing space. With Blackpool and Blackburn away fixtures to follow it is crucial that the Cherries steer themselves to three points on Saturday.

Missed chances are no longer a tale that can sit happy with the players or the fans. They need wins and goals and AFCB need all the support they can get home and away if they are to pull themselves away from the bottom teams. We know the players are good enough and positive thinking can take them a long way. But at the end of the day it will come down to matches like that against Doncaster, where AFCB have to impress their style and dominance to record a win. Without any doubt this is the most important game of AFCB's season so far. 


If you are at Dean Court today, don't hold back. Cheer the lads on, because every voice counts.

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The Cherries must take their opportunities against Doncaster

Doncaster Rovers have one of the worst away records in the Championship having only beaten Sheffield Wednesday away from home this season. AFCB don't need to give them any encouragement but should look to put as many goals in against them as they can on Saturday.

Doncaster have only been losing by the single goal away from home in their last few outings against Yeovil and Brighton and their inability to score many away from home must give AFCB some confidence in training this week. They are not helped by the fact that Billy Sharp, who is back on loan at Rovers from Southampton, is serving the last of his three match ban having been given his first ever red card against Brighton.

That is not to say that Doncaster don't have players that can hurt the Cherries. One striker of quality is Chris Brown who is their top scorer on six this season, while James Coppinger we know well from seeing him in League One. Harry Forrester who was at Brentford has not had the impact in the Championship that Donny fans would have wanted but he is also a player who was impressive last season in League One. Mark Duffy is another forward that is looking to build on the two goals he has this season.

Paul Dickov has been under constant pressure all season, but if he keeps Doncaster up he will have undergone a managerial successful step up to the Championship. You can hear what Paul has to say about his team ahead of the game with Bournemouth by listening to the sound bar below where he speaks to BBC Radio Sheffield. He will have targeted this game as potentially one where Doncaster can get something and it will be important for AFCB to get on top in this game straight away and take the lead if they are to help themselves. If Doncaster keep in the game up to half time AFCB run the risk of another bad luck story and we have simply had enough of them.

listen to ‘#drfc boss Paul Dickov pre Bournemouth. ’ on Audioboo

My main concern will be Doncaster's threat from free kicks and corners. It is vital that AFCB look to minimise the number of these moments against a team that is known to be good at set-peices. It's time to hit these teams hard and start pulling back that goal difference.  

Doncaster Away form:
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AFCB Home form:
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How can Eddie turn performing well into winning ways?

It's been a hard last couple of weeks for AFCB. The team has been playing well without really picking up the points. You wonder how some teams manage to win without playing well. Those teams are often at the top of the league because the winning habit is just ingrained in them. That doesn't help AFCB though. Our fans want a team that wins and picks up points on the road as well as at home, but you can't say the Cherries have been unlucky every week.

AFCB at Reading earlier in the season.

At the end of the season you tend to be where you should be give or take a place or two. The Cherries are not yet a top 10 Championship team but as work in progress they are doing very nicely to be honest. There are teams in worse positions in the Championship and some of them have not come close to pushing the top teams. AFCB have put pressure on Derby, Leicester and Burnley and while they only received one point from those matches you can't say the Cherries were outplayed or soundly beaten. The problem is us fans don't want to be hearing how close the team was to beating one of the big teams. Aspirations are still high and I think that is important for a club that wants to grow and succeed year upon year.

Steve McClaren knew exactly how good the Cherries were and he was not expecting an easy contest last weekend.

Steve McClaren pre-AFCB match at the iPro stadium.

So what does Eddie Howe need to do different to get the wins on the board? I don't really think there is much going wrong. Yes, AFCB need to start accumulating some clean sheets. Taking opportunities at the other end is always going to be difficult in the Championship as well, but as soon as AFCB get a win it is likely to spark further results.

They have a great opportunity against Doncaster Rovers on Saturday and it's a game that now becomes extremely important not to lose. AFCB don't want to be giving encouragement to those below them and it is vital that Eddie has a full strength side to take on Rovers. At home Bournemouth are now very strong and that is how it must remain for the team for the rest of the season. The home crowd has to make it uncomfortable for opposition teams by making a din all game long. Most of the big tests are out of the way now and it is important that the Cherries don't take their eyes off the prize of another season in this league. The wins have not come against the big teams but they have to come against the strugglers.

It is the final third of the pitch where the passing seems to go astray and now it is important that it clicks. Rantie must try and up his shot rate, forwards have to gamble on Ritchie's crosses and passing in an around the opposition's box must be crisper. If AFCB can just get things right in the final third they will get their rewards. At home there is no reason for the shot count to be low and if you shoot you can get deflections and rebounds that create goals, just look what happened for Olympiakos this weekend and their first goal against Man Utd. I want to see more work in the last third of the pitch and I believe Eddie Howe will have been drumming that into his players this week.  Let's give them all the support we can, because these home games can take the Cherries to safety.

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