When AFC Bournemouth opted to start every game with a trumpet and a drummer playing “The Great Escape”, it was a confusing choice of song to push as an anthem. Sure it’s a fondly held song by the Dean Court faithful, but it’s usually reserved for the final months of a season, when the Cherries are in the midst of a relegation battle. But little did the simple fan in the crowd know that the club were engineering something bigger. How do you make “The Great Escape” tune relevant in September and October? Fail to win a single game of course, set a record for the clubs longest winless streak at the start of a campaign and then play a recently promoted side also in dire straights and bang, the plan all comes together…
This felt like a big game, a relegation six-pointer, in October, it was windy, it was wet and it was miserable. Everything an AFC Bournemouth v Burnley game could ask for.
Burnley took the lead with a well hit strike from 20-yards, rooting stand-in ‘keeper Radu to the spot. Out of form captain Neto, absent due to a training ground injury.
The Cherries were not behind for long however as Antoine Semenyo forced the high press, won the ball with his physicality and struck the ball hard and low across the ‘keeper to find the equaliser.
AFC Bournemouth were well on top, seemingly the only side interested in claiming all three points but it was an individual moment of brilliance by Philip Billing winning the game by lobbing the visiting goalkeeper from 42 yards.
For the neutrals all the talk surrounding this game will be the five and a half minutes of delay to the game to decide, what ultimately the linesman had already indicated, that Burnley’s late equaliser was indeed offside. This is discussed in length with videos and analysis from the Sky Sports Soccer Saturday team as it happened on this link.
AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola told Sky Sports…
“We’re relieved because we know we needed to win this one. It was a must-win for us playing against a team in a similar situation. We needed this first win, at home, with the help of the supporters. Especially after conceding the first goal, I think the players showed personality.
“We played really well. We could have scored more goals and we started the second half knowing the three points are what we needed and we had to suffer at the end, with the stoppage due to VAR. It was a really good win.
“The VAR took a lot of time, but it’s true that they need to come to the right decision, even if it’s against us. It has to be the right decision because the consequences can be huge.”
Man of the match against Burnley
Semenyo
Tavernier
Philip
Scott
Aarons
Someone else
A first @PremierLeague win for Andoni 👊 pic.twitter.com/uSXfVb0i7r
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) October 28, 2023
Written by billythekid
At last our team get our first win and expect the players and especially our manager are smiling tonight.
Two good goals from our side won the game for AFCB today.
Individual break by Semenyo moving over to the left and then putting the ball in the far corner of the net giving the Burnley keeper no chance.
The winning goal was brilliantly taken by Billing seeing the keeper out of his goal and he placed the ball perfectly over the keeper from well out, keeper could only get a touch as he was back peddling but couldn’t stop the ball settling in the back of the net.
Earlier in the game Burnley took the lead from a well taken volley by the number 3 which Radu I don’t think saw through a crowd of players.
Talking of our keeper on the afternoon thought he did well.
Then when I heard the number 9 of Burnley coming on I feared the worst, he has such a good record of scoring against us and at Dean Court.
He did score, but we had a very long VAR interval why they decided if it was off side or not, luckily for us this time he didn’t have a goal at Dean Court as VAR ruled against his goal.
So the large majority of the 11,152 crowd went home happy for once and our manager has seen his team move out of the relegation zone.
Well done Iraola and all the team, a much needed result. Irrespective of how well whoever played, collectively they got the result that was needed. Really pleased and hopefully we can kick in from here.
A Premier League debut for Andrei Radu ✅ pic.twitter.com/kiSuIjZ7f6
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) October 28, 2023
the whole experience today was awesome (apart from rain) this was my daughters first game and she was mascot (I may have to bring her every week now),
I think this was definitely our best game this season, Kelly played his best game for a long time in my eyes at left back ( first half it seemed he didn’t want to go past half way line but second half was more attacking).
Christie was immense I have never seen anyone run so much, he makes gosling look lazy
Aaron’s seems a snip at the price we paid all credit to recruitment on that he could be our best PL bargains so far.
we looked like a team with a plan today maybe Burnley played into our hands with that but everyone looked focused
just before billings goal brooks and Sinisterra were called back from warm ups to come on but AI changed his mind after the goal.
it was weird watching the match from the main stand definitely prefer the view from my normal seats but still a good day
This win was a must.
If we get a point in the next two, that’s good. Burnley and Luton also have tough opponents the next couple of games.
Then another must-win vs Sheffield.
Hopefully Everton and Forest don’t get much in November so we can get more teams in the struggle.
It’s been coming, massive win today, support was great!💪🏽🍒 #afcb pic.twitter.com/QC76ae6IH7
— Max Aarons (@maxaarons2) October 28, 2023
That’s more like it. @antoinesemenyo1 doing what he does best😮💨 pic.twitter.com/aqIfVPGQuo
— Alex Scott (@AlexScott_7) October 28, 2023
I thought we were comfortably the better team for the vast majority of the game. If Cook hadn’t got sent off, I firmly believe we’d be sitting on 9 points now. In fact, if we’d beaten Wolves, I think we’d have absolutely pummelled a shocking Burnley.
Nervy finish to be expected after the run the players have been on. Need a positive performance vs City, and a result is gettable from Newcastle.
Shout outs to Semenyo, who has to be starting every game for me, Kelly, who was my MOM and put in a real captains performance, Billing for a sumptuous piece of skill and a mostly positive performance. And Radu, who had little to do but won us the three points at the end. – To join the conversation, click here.
Let’s not get carried away, Burnley very nearly snatch a point at the end, we got the result but Burnley are a poor team and we were only a bit better at home than a poor team on the day. Major issues at the back whoever plays. For the dissallowed goal, Zabarnyi was tracking the striker’s run then let him go with Mepham out of position, basic stuff for me which is a worry.
Alex Scott looks the real deal which is good. I’d like to see him try semenyo instead of Solanke for a game or 2.
Let’s not get carried away, Burnley very nearly snatch a point at the end, we got the result but Burnley are a poor team and we were only a bit better at home than a poor team on the day. Major issues at the back whoever plays. For the dissallowed goal, Zabarnyi was tracking the striker’s run then let him go with Mepham out of position, basic stuff for me which is a worry.
Alex Scott looks the real deal which is good. I’d like to see him try semenyo instead of Solanke for a game or 2.