Who would have thought earlier in the season we would have been registering four home wins in a row in March? It took us ten home games to register our first win – we now take them for granted. Today’s was probably the hardest of the lot though, as a resolute Millwall side dominated the first half with the wind -and proved very hard to break down when we had the advantage in the second. In the end two goals from the mercurial Maxi Gradel following two tremendous saves from Forde saw the team home.
Bournemouth made two changes in personnel from Monday but none in tactics. Vokes replaced Kuffour (on compassionate leave) as the lone front man and Gowling was back at Centre half, Pearce moving to left back and Franks stepping down.
Bournemouth fans sat back and waited for our usual early goal but today it didn’t happen – Cooper fired a free kick just over in the first minute after Bartley had been brought down but that was it on chances, as the game opened in a series of ferocious challenges, misplaced passing and lots of huff and puff in a swirling wind and rain.
On the quarter of the hour mark the Lions, by now in the ascendancy with the wind at their back, started to create chances. Forde brilliantly tipped over Harris’s overhead kick and Senda later fired just wide from 30 yards.
Bournemouth were struggling again with the 4-5-1 formation which makes us look defensively solid but offers precious little in the way of possession at times – Vokes spending long periods isolated. There was further worry for home fans when Forde went down awkwardly after a big leap, and limped his way through the rest of the half – although it didn’t stop him getting down well to tip a Martins drive wide.
The cherries were restricted to half chances, Bradbury cutting in and firing over and Gradel volleying over when well placed following Vokes flick from a Mcquoid cross. For Millwall the Arsenal on loan youngster Simpson, by far their best player on the day, beat three people but hit the side netting when forced wide.
HT – Bournemouth 0 Millwall 0
Bondy rang the changes for the second half replacing Superjo Tessem with Pitman and moving to a 4-4-2 formation to give big Sam more company.
This transformed the game giving us instant attacking options lacking in the first half. Signalling intent Bradbury released Vokes whose toe poke was saved by Evans and when Vokes put Pitman through – his brilliant volleyed finish hit the bottom corner of the net but sadly he had already been flagged offside.
Back came Millwall with a ten minute purple patch that had the cherries on the ropes. First Bas Savage’s flick from Martins corner was brilliantly hooked off the line by Pearce when a goal looked certain and then came arguably the turning point of the match. Jem Karacan – who had a quiet return – cut into the box and under challenge by an ankle snapping Cooper laid the ball off for Harris to shoot – although he was soon tangled up with Gowling. Unbelievably and with no claim from one Millwall player, let alone Karacan, the ref deemed one of the challenges to be too snappy and pointed to the spot.
The prolific Harris vs the limping Forde seemed an unfair contest from 12 yards but the young Welsh keeper had other ideas, brilliantly throwing himself to the left to parry the spotkick and watching in relief as Fuseini fired the rebound wide.
A minute later and Gowling brought down Harris on the edge of the box leaving Forde facing dead ball specialist Brkovic from 22 yards. Once again the ball was despatched over the wall and headed towards the top corner like a bullet, once again the Welsh stoppers right glove somehow kept it out. Two great platform building moments that spurred us on to get back and dominate the game.
Pitman was getting into a groove, as he often does when he plays up front with Sam and his spectacular 30 yard volley would have won goal of the season if it had been a few inches to the left. In the 73rd minute referee Melin gave his second penalty award of the match. Pitman had moved onto a loose ball and fired a tremendous far post cross where Robinson was adjudged to have impeded Vokes. It was hard to see from my angle but I’ve seen a lot of similar ones not given and the Millwall players were incensed. There then followed the obligatory row over who should be taking it, Pitman left arms a flapping as GRADEL ran up to despatch the ball into the bottom corner to give the home side the lead.
The goal heralded a ten minute spell of frenetic football and a debut for the energetic Hutchings, on for a tired Vokes and another appearance for Partington who looked very at home in the centre and released Bartley for a possible future as a flying winger – well would you want to be the full back marking him?
With Bournemouth fans getting nervous and Forde limping around claiming crosses it came as a great relief when we broke for the second goal to seal the match on 88mins. Young sub Partington was very involved, winning the ball moving forwards and finding Pitman who ushered it wide to GRADEL. Thoughts of hitting the corner flag probably crossed his mind, but why do that when you have the talent to cut inside, beat three men going across the penalty area and rifle the ball under a stunned keeper? Which is exactly what our favourite Ivorian winger did to seal the match.
FT Bournemouth 2 Millwall 0
Written by Neil Dawson
Player Ratings
Forde – 9
Outstanding performance through the pain barrier. Two formidable saves from open play, a penalty save and a top class effort to keep a free kick out all at 0-0. Kicked better too.
Bradbury – 7
Another excellently resolute shift in his new position and created more too.
Gowling – 7
Gave Harris and Savage no change on ground or in air.
Cooper – 7
See above for Gowling and add calmer distribution
Pearce – 8
Up against a potential premier league winger but stuck to his task brilliantly and never faltered once.
Gradel – 8
Quieter than normal in first half but came on to his game in the second 45 and hit double figures for the season with two classy finishes.
Tessem – 6
Best game yet in terms of involvement but still a shade off the pace.
Bartley – 7
All speed,tackles and never giving up – the perfect engine
Hollands – 8
Another lead from the front getting stuck in captains performance and some superb passing to boot.
Mcquoid – 7
Much more involved than previous game particularly when switched to preferred right wing position where he got some great runs and crosses in.
Vokes 6
Battling but tired performance from the superb youngster against the commanding veteran Shaw.
Pitman 7
Not many people seem to like him but I do – good brain and great crosser – his arrival sparked the match.
Partington
Got stuck in and looked very comfortable on ball
Looked lively and up for it.
Manager Rating
Tactics – Credit to Bond for realising that the containment 4-5-1 gave us against Tranmere worked better because the 1 was highly mobile and pulled the defence wide. With Vokes he stays in the middle and there was noone to flick on to. Moving to a 4-4-2 gave us this and won the match.
Great signs on the kids coming through too and the team are showing great attitude and togetherness – superb in the circumstances.
MOTM
David Forde – who completely shut the guy up behind me screaming for Pryce at the kick off. What sort of fans do we have….
