Sammy Igoe, Shwan Jalal and Scott Guyett are given full debuts as Cherries kick off the 2008/2009 campaign.

Cherries: Jalal, Garry, Bradbury, Guyett, Pearce, Cooper, Anderton, Bartley, Igoe (Cummings 61), Pitman (McQuoid 83), Kuffour.
Subs: Pryce, Pettefer, Ward.

Gills: Royce, Fuller, Nutter, King, Richards, Crofts, Bentley, Jackson, Miller (Mulligan 87), Weston (Berry 70), McCammon.
Subs: Clohessy, Julian, Mills.

Jo Kuffour's shot on the turn was the first kick in anger of the new season with Cooper and Igoe linking in midfield to make the move.

As the teams struggled to settle in the blustery conditions, Marvin Bartley's tenacity quickly showed through. His battling qualities won a corner ten minutes in that Pearce headed over from Anderton's outswinging delivery.

Miller and Jackson had early chances for the visitors, but neither could test debutant keeper Jalal.

On twenty minutes Darren Anderton rolled back the years to start and finish a move worthy of any game. Ducking a heavy challenge in midfield his decisive outside of the boot pass sent Garry away down the left. The defender's crossed found the onrushing Anderton, but the power in his shot was taken out by a brave defensive block.

Less than a minute later Cherries survived a scare at the other end. Simeon Jackson found himself with just Jalal to beat, but the stopper held his ground and saved well with his feet.

Mark McCammon and Simon King were both cautioned in quick succession. The first for a depserate lunge on Marvin Bartley and the second for an off the ball incident on the same player.

Simeon Jackson was proving Gillingham's main threat, but he missed a golden chance on thirty-two minutes. McCammon brought the ball forward and cross for Jackson six yards out, but his strike partner failed to find the target.

The visitors were coming into the game much more and Jalal had to push away a powerful header from McCammon ten minutes before the break. This was before Jalal saved again from Jackson holding onto a greasy ball.

It was unsurprisingly Darren Anderton who broke the deadlock on forty-two minutes. He'd been by far the game's best player and he brushed past a midfielder with ease before breaking into the penalty area and slotting the ball beyond Gills keeper Royce.

Half time: AFC Bournemouth 1-0 Gillingham

Brett Pitman picked up Cherries' first booking of the campaign for a late challenge before McCammon's low drive hit Pearce and went for a corner.

Gillingham pressured the home goal early in the second half and tried to take advantage of Cherries' new look defence. Their pressure reaped a clear cut chance on fifty-seven minutes. Again it fell to Jackson and again he failed to convert. On sixty-one minutes another Jackson effort cleared the bar under pressure from Pearce.

Cherries coped with the pressure better having weathered an initial storm and tried to push the ball forward as much as possible. Both sides were finding it difficult to create clear cut chances in the worsening weather.

Gillingham upped the ante again fifteen minutes before the end leaving Cherries defending with ten men behind the ball. Scott Guyett was showing what a no-nonsense player he is in an assured and powerful debut.

Simeon Jackson tried his luck from further out on eighty-two minutes, but his effort was blocked by Bartley and hung up well for Jalal to gather.

Jackson, having spurned half a dozen chances throughout the match watched on as substitute Gary Mulligan scored with virtually his first touch. A direct arrowed shot into the top corner levelled the scores as the clock ticked to ninety minutes.