The week in... May 2005

A decade and a half ago, while Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were leading a mission in a galaxy far far away, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith being released in cinemas, Sean O’Driscoll was heading his own quest to take AFC Bournemouth to the second tier for just the second time in their history.

Cherries news and matches

A strong campaign had O’Driscoll’s Cherries flirting with the post season with four matches left in the campaign.

Five straight away wins ahead of the trip to Chesterfield in mid-April set the scene, though ultimately it was the poor home form, the side collecting just two points from their final seven games at Dean Court, that put and end to the side’s hopes of a crack at the Championship in 2005/06.

Saturday 16th April – Chesterfield 2-3 AFC Bournemouth

A ding-dong League One affair at Saltergate ended with a last-minute Steve Fletcher winner as the Cherries won by the odd goal in five.

The Spireites had taken a first half lead before Fletcher leveled just after the break, Brian Stock then putting the visitors in front before Steve Blatherwick tied things up again with 15 minutes to go. Then came the Cherries’ late salvo, lifting them back into the play-off places.

Saturday 23rd April – AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Peterborough United

Starting the day fifth, Calum Wilock’s goal 17 minutes in settled the contest in a frustrating Dean Court afternoon for the hosts.

The Posh were desperate for points in their eventually unsuccessful battle against relegation at the other end of the table, with O’Driscoll’s side hanging on to their top-six spot on goal difference at the end of the afternoon.

Saturday 30th April – Bradford City 4-2 AFC Bournemouth

The Cherries fought back from a two-goal deficit to level matters at Valley Parade, only for Dean Windass to complete his hat-trick and deal a severe blow to Bournemouth’s play-off hopes.

The mid-table Bantams led 2-0 at the break thanks to strikes from Windass and Steven Schumacher, only for James Hayter and Matt Mills to net twice in three minutes just past the hour mark to set the game up for a barnstorming finale. However, momentum swung back in the hosts’ favour with 36 year-old Windass claiming the matchball late on.

Saturday 7th May – AFC Bournemouth 2-2 Hartlepool United

It transpired that a Bournemouth win would have claimed a play-off berth, but hopes were nixed by a gut-wrenching draw with fellow top-six contenders Hartlepool.

A James Hayter brace – the season’s top scorer netted 22 goals across the campaign – saw the Cherries lead 2-1 after 45 minutes, but with nerves rising the Pools equalised through Tony Sweeney to pinch the final play-off place from the home side’s grasp

Going forwards…

The momentum failed to transfer into the following campaign and a mixed start consisting mainly of draws was rocked by O’Driscoll’s departure to Doncaster Rovers in September.

A series of late season draws under incoming manager Kevin Bond saw the Cherries secure League One safety by five points, though their Hartlepool adversaries from the previous season fell further and took the final relegation spot.

The week in football…

Luton Town and Hull City were the two to go straight up from League One that season, Hartlepool making it past Tranmere to book their place in the play-off final, though they would be beaten 4-2 by Sheffield Wednesday in the flagship event.

The week after the big Star Wars release, the force was with Arsenal, just about, as they overcame Manchester United to claim their tenth FA Cup, sealing the triumph thanks to a penalty shootout following a tepid 0-0 draw at the Millennium Stadium.

The week in news…

The days after the Cherries’ loss to the Posh, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was inaugurated as the 265th Pope, taking the name Pope Benedict XVI. Three days after that the ‘superjet’ Airbus A380 left Toulouse for its first flight.

In politics, Tony Blair was re-elected for a third straight term in early May’s general election, five days later George W Bush had an escape as a hand grenade thrown during the US President’s speech in Tbilisi, Georgia, landed 20 metres away, though didn’t detonate.