Old enemy beaten

Two second half goals from Hayter and Surman were enough to overcome the old enemy Gillingham at Dean Court at the weekend.

The Cherries started with Gareth Stewart in goal and Callum Hart, Neil Young, Shaun Cooper and James O’Connor as the back four. Steven Foley, Andrew Surman, Brian Stock and Marcus Browning made up the midfield with Steve Fletcher and James Hayter upfront.

The first forty-five minutes were not the most riveting football we’d seen this season. Gillingham were definitely the stronger of the two sides for large periods of the half with Harris forcing a good save from Stewart with just two minutes gone on the watch. Then Jarvis had a crack at goal but came closer to dislodging the adverts on top of the North Stand than scoring for the visitors. More comedy finishing from the Gills saw Flynn half volley a shot from a close free kick – the ball ended up miles wide.

Jackman came closer to breaking the deadlock on twenty minutes with a low shot from a Gills corner go just wide of the posts. Then Neil Harris came closer still, forcing a brilliant one handed save to punch the ball away.

Our opponents could easily have been 2-0 up at half time and cruising to there first away win since last March. But some good work from Stewart together with some awful barn door styllee shooting gave the Cherries a let off.

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Half time AFCB 0 – 0 Gillingham

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Gillingham brought on Paul Shields after the break and the change almost worked immediately. A volley cum cross from Tom Williams found a diving Shields but the header went past the Cherries net. Then James Hayter took our second chance of the game putting a Browning pass wide.

The deadlock was finally broken after the hour mark. A mistimed challenge from Callum Hart allowed Jarvis through down the right flank. The cross found Harris and even he couldn’t fail to score from six-yards out.

The goal was just what the match needed preventing many fans from dozing off. Within four minutes and the Cherries were fighting back thanks to some quick thinking from James O’Connor. The Irishman’s quick throw caught Gillingham off guard and allowed James Hayter to steal across the box before shooting goalwards with his left foot.

The equaliser rocked Gillingham who were pegged back defending for the remaining twenty minutes. Foley saw a shot cleared off the line with the Cherries clearly racketing up the pressure. Rodrigues, Purches and Howe (good to see both Eddie and Ian Cox on the pitch together again even if they were playing for opposites sides this time) were brought on to add impetus and Dani caused quite a few problems up front.

Even Fletch was getting in on the act with a glorious back heel to release Rodrigues down the flank for another cross into the box. The big man then saw a toe poke go wide from a corner in front of the North Stand. Then Stock sent in a great free kick that Browning glanced goalwards only to see Brown save. The Gills keeper was having his workload dramatically increased and had to then dive low to save a strike from Rodrigues.

The Cherries finally found the winner in injury time with Hayter and Fletcher working well together in the box. A scramble in the box saw Hayter gain possession and cross the ball for Surman running in. The Saints loan star dived to put the ball past Brown and make it 2-1.