Josh Gowling's disallowed goal condemned Cherries to defeat against Bristol Rovers this evening.
Cherries made five changes from the weekend match against Port Vale and welcomed back Steve Fletcher and James Hayter. The defence was stretched however and an unfit Eddie Howe was named as a substitute for a last resort as there were no other defenders available.
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In the fourteenth minute Lewis Haldane found some pace on the Rovers right and his low cross eluded everyone until it reached Richie Walker at the back stick. He had time, but fired his shot wide of Neil Moss's right hand post.
Walker then saw off the attention from Gowling and fired in a low shot midway through the half.
On thirty-three minutes Cherries were handed a free kick twenty five yards from goal in a central position. Steve Fletcher won it and Darren Anderton's first attempt once he flicked the ball up was deemed to have been taken too quickly by the referee. Shaun Cooper was booked for his troubled and as the second free kick hit the wall, the follow up header skimmed the cross bar.
A minute later Anderton then provided a pin-point cross for Steve Fletcher and his header was kept out with a superb one handed save from Steve Phillips.
Five minutes before the break little Sammy Igoe found himself with some space and his crack at goal was clawed wide by Neil Moss.
Half time: AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Bristol Rovers
Seventy-five seconds into the second half Rovers hit the bar. A near post corner was flicked on above Moss's dive and thankfully the ricochet fell to a red shirt.
Sammy Igoe then pounced onto Walkers switch and fired in a shot straight at Moss.
At the other end Darren Anderton found some space on the right and his raking cross was headed beyond the far post by James Hayter. Hollands then had a shot brush past the post as Cherries began to take control of the second half.
Eighteen minutes into the second half Rovers took the lead. They had already threatened from corners when another delivery from the left found Walker at the near post and his flick had enough direction to find the back of the net.
Danny Hollands then shot on the turn from Fletcher's lay-off, but the shot lacked power and Phillips was able to gather. Manager Kevin Bond reacted by throwing on Brett Pitman and Sam Vokes to make a three pronged attack with James Hayter.
Vokes and Pitman combined in the area and the Jersey strikers hooked shot couldn't trouble Phillips. Cherries then hit the bar as the home side made a late surge for an equaliser with Neil Young left at the back to do a momumental shift in the Cherries defence.
Two minutes into stoppage time Bournemouth thought they were level. Sam Vokes rose to flick on a high ball and as Josh Gowling turned his marker and hammered home, the referee made a quick decision to rule out the goal for a tug on a Rovers defender.
Final Score: AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Bristol Rovers
Matchday draw numbers
1st prize £300 59578
2nd Prize bournered Voucher £40 or £25 cash 59037
3rd Prize 2 matchday tickets or £15 cash 59034
