The Cherries returned to Dean Court after the impressive result and performance away to Bradford last week, this week they played host to Darlington.
Match Sponsor: Unicorn
Match Programme Sponsor: GSG Generator Solutions Group
Match ball Sponsor: BH Calibration Services
Darlington travelled to Bournemouth lying just one place outside the playoff positions in League Two and it was they who started the better of the two sides. Darlo's David Poole came close after just three minutes but his right footed volley was tipped over by the stretching Shwan Jalal. The away side again threaten to take the lead when Billy Clarke accelerated down the left but his effort was blocked by Scott Guyett.
Boss Jimmy Quinn sent his side out lining up with a 3-5-1-1 formation leaving Jeff Goulding in a lone role up front. He punished sloppy Darlington defending when he picked up a loose ball mid way in their half, he continue forward and after a neat side step past an advancing defender he fired a right footed shot only for 'keeper Brown to parry it away. Luckily the ball fell to the supporting Marvin Bartley who slammed the ball home to give the Cherries the lead after fourteen minutes.
The Cherries came close to extending their lead when Warren Cummings' cross was met by Sammy Igoe, but the former Pompey midfielder failed to make clean contact.
Darlington continued to pose a threat to the Bournemouth goal as both Liam Hatch and Billy Clarke looked sharp up front. On thirty four minutes Darlington did break through and equalised when a clearance fell to Liam Hatch, his looping header evaded Jalal and dropped into the net.
But they were only level for two minutes as the Cherries regained control on thirty six minutes. A poor pass in defensive by Alan White was intercepted by Sammy Igoe whose smart run ended in his through ball being blocked by the Darlington defence only for the clearance to hit the retreating Neil Austin and divert into the goal past the helpless goalkeeper.
Bournemouth went into the break 2-1 up and came out for the second half with new loan signing Blair Sturrock coming on for Jeff Goulding.
New signing Sturrock came close to making dream start to his Bournemouth career when Sammy Igoe robbed a defender of the ball just inside the Darlington half. He slotted the ball into Sturrock who took his time to place his shoot just on eighteen yards but his effort was turned around the post by 'keeper Simon Brown, only for the referee to signal for a goal kick!
Eight minutes from time the referee was again called into action as players from both sides squared up against each other after Marvin Bartley and Darlington's Jason Kennedy had clashed going in for a 50/50 ball.
Sub Brett Pitman sealed the win in injury time with a sweetly struck shot which sailed past the once again helpless 'keeper.
Unicorn's Man of the Match: Danny Hollands
Teams:
Cherries: Jalal, Guyett, Cooper, Pearce, Cummings, Bradbury, Bartley (McQuoid 89), Hollands, Anderton (Pitman 82), Igoe, Goulding (Sturrock 45)
Subs not used: Ward, Pryce
Darlington: Brown, Austin (Proudlock 81), White, Foster, Kennedy, Purdie, Ravenhill, Poole (Blundell 52), Burgmeier, Clarke, Hatch
Subs not used: Hulbert, Miller, Kazimierczak
