Late goal costs Cherries at Deepdale
AFC Bournemouth
- Attendance:
- 12173
- :
- Matt Donohue
AFC Bournemouth's four game winning run was brought to a halt by Preston North End at Deepdale.
Jamal Lowe’s third goal in three games had put them in front just after half time, but the lead was cancelled out by Cameron Archer four minutes later.
Preston have often been a bogey opponent in recent years and Emil Riis Jakobsen's late strike ensured the Lancashire side completed a league double over the Cherries.
Scott Parker made two changes to the side that beat Stoke City last weekend, with Nat Phillips and Jaidon Anthony returning from illness and injury respectively to replace Chris Mepham and Siriki Dembele.
Ryan Christie also returned to the bench having recovered from the quad injury that had kept him out since the February victory over Birmingham City.
The Cherries controlled the early exchanges and might have been ahead after five minutes as Dominic Solanke picked up a loose ball 30 yards from goal and slipped Lowe in on goal, but the forward’s low shot was well blocked by left-back Josh Earl.
Solanke had his first sight of goal after 11 minutes – picking up a neat low cross from Anthony and turning well, but his shot was well blocked from ten yards out.
Mark Travers was called into action for the first time on 17 minutes as a loose pass from Phillips presented Ched Evans with a chance, but the striker’s deflected shot from just inside the box was gathered well by the Cherries keeper.
The chance brought the hosts alive and they might have been in front moments later as Lewis Cook’s misplaced pass on the right flank gave Ben Whiteman the chance to thread a neat ball through to Archer, but the striker could only skew his shot wide under pressure from Philip Billing.
Though the Cherries continued to dominate possession, it was Travers again who was called into action next after half an hour. Daniel Johnson was dispossessed after a good break on the right flank, and centre back Sepp van den Berg reacted quickest to the loose ball, driving a deflected shot goalwards which Travers was able to collect above his head.
Archer had the hosts’ best chance of the half on the stroke of the break, when he turned neatly inside the box before shooting low across Travers, but the Irishman blocked well with his right foot.
It was a dream start to the second half for Parker’s side, as Lowe continued his rich vein of form by putting the finishing touch to a neat move involving Anthony and Jordan Zemura on the left flank.
The two academy graduates linked up well before Anthony found space and drifted a cross into the box, which found its way to Lowe, who controlled well and jinked around Daniel Iversen in the Preston goal to tap home.
The lead lasted less than five minutes however, as Archer did well to control a low cross from Johnson and fire a left-footed shot in off the near post from ten yards out.
The Cherries had appealed for a foul in the lead up to the goal, as Todd Cantwell went down under a challenge on halfway, but the referee waved play on and the hosts went on to level.
The visitors nearly restored their lead after weathering a spell of home pressure, as another Anthony cross caused confusion in the penalty area, but the advancing Billing could only direct his half volley wide from ten yards.
Scott Parker's side went close to securing the win themselves through Phillips. He rose highest to meet Christie's corner and directed a superb header towards the far corner but somehow Iversen managed to push the ball away from goal, a sensational save by the Preston shot-stopper.
That save proved to be game changing for the hosts as Riis Jakobsen capitalised on Lowe's loose touch, receiving the ball in space in the area and driving a low effort into the bottom corner.
The Cherries were left raging on an alleged foul on Billing in the build-up and Parker and Smith, who'd already been substituted, were shown a red card by referee Matthew Donohue on the touchline.
AFC Bournemouth: Travers; Smith (Laird, 67), Phillips, Kelly, Zemura; Cook, Billing, Cantwell (Pearson, 80); Lowe, Anthony (Christie, 67), Solanke.
Unused subs: Mepham, Marcondes, Dembele, Woodman (g/k).
Booked: Billing
Sent off: Smith
Preston North End: Iversen, van den Berg, Diaby, Hughes, Potts (Murphy, 75), Browne, Whiteman, Earl (McCann, 63), Johnson, Evans (Riis Jakobsen, 75), Archer.
Unused subs: Rafferty, Huntington, Sinclair, Ripley (g/k).
Booked: van den Berg, Potts, Browne, Johnson.
Referee: Matt Donohue.
Attendance: 12,173 (852 away fans)
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