We are going up!

On a day that joins Fulham, Cardiff and Burton in recent great memories Bournemouth confirmed their place in next years Championship. For the first time in 22 years we will be competing for a place at the country’s top table with a mouth-watering list of fixtures (and Peterborough) to look out for in June.

A tough and nervy 3-1 victory over Carlisle saw the remarkable transformation under Eddie Howe reach fruition. It was a club record eighth consecutive win and also saw Brett Pitman continue his quest for Jermaine Defoe’s record – his last minute goal sealing victory and continuing his personal run.

Eddie kept the same side that had desposed of Shrewsbury so easily and the atmosphere crackled with tension as the teams took to the pitch. The nerves seemed to be kicking in though in a first half an hour littered with misplaced or overhit passes. Carlisle were revelling in their spoiler routine that had already stymied Doncaster and Sheffield United by getting stuck in to our midfield with glee. They had the best early chance too as Miller’s cracking drive was brilliantly beaten out by Allsop.

It wasn’t the start that Bournemouth wanted and it nearly got worse when Loy also smashed a shot that Allsop was glad to let bounce off him. Bournemouths attempts to attack were frustratingly halted by balls into touch or balls over-played and everything was going down the right with Pugh and Daniels strangely uninvolved. It took twenty minutes before a home shot on target when O’Kane drilled a thirty yarder straight at Gillespie.

With Bournemouth unusually attacking the North Stand in the first half they started to find the groove around the half hour mark. Arter made a brilliant run before feeding Grabban but Gillespie blocked with his legs. From the resulting corner the goal came….. and when it did it was straight from the training ground. A brilliant short corner routine between Ritchie, Grabban and Francis saw the latter swing in a bombing cross which COOK met with a ferocious header at the far post for a timely first goal of the season.

Bournemouth were in a middle of a purple patch but twice were halted in their search by some selfishness by Grabban who twice opted to shoot from tight angles with a furious Pitman and Ritchie much better placed.

The end of the half saw the game swing back to the visitors who had the domination of our midfield for most of the game. Bournemouth showed their resolution though with a series of impressive blocks, Francis in particular standing tall. There was a lucky escape when ex Glasgow Rangers centre forward Loy spun and curled a drive against the cross-bar and it was with relief that the half time whistle went.

Ht Bournemouth 1 Carlisle 0

Bournemouth started the second half as they ended the first with Carlisle making all the running and regularly being given the ball by their nervy hosts. When the equaliser arrived it was not a surprise to the 9000 fans packed into the ground. A routine cross was inexplicably left on the far goal line by O’Kane, who expected the ball to run out. It would of had it not been anticipated by Mcgovern who pounced and crossed for MILLER to score with an acrobatic overhead kick.

It was a superb finish and rocked the Cherries who then let Mcgovern clean through but he was caught and disposessed by O’Kane who was desperate to make amends for his earlier error.

Bournemouth needed a goal to revive hopes and the crowd who were becoming a little stunned. The hallmark of this team has always been the ability to ‘score when they want’ and normally with some classy football. This afternoon was no different and following Daniels great run and Grabban’s drive being beaten out by Gillespie, Ritchie picked out ARTER who took one touch before spearing a left footed drive from 20 yards past Gillespie at his near post. It was another superb long distance goal from the midfield maestro in a season where he has flourished.

The game settled again with the crowd back singing and Bournemouth playing high up the pitch. There was still the tension of an equaliser in the air but this time the hosts seemed far more determined not to capitulate and snapped into every loose ball with renewed vigour. O’Kane’s ankle didn’t stand the test of 90 minutes again and he departed for Hughes who was instrumental in slowing the game to our pace.

With the crowd ecstatic at news from other grounds and the team spending the last ten minutes heading for the corner flag all looked settled but there was one more glory moment to come. For once the corner flag wasn’t looked for on an attack and with Carlisle pressing for an equaliser Pugh and Brett were left two on one. Pugh controlled and played in PITMAN who kept calm and took a touch before placing a left foot drive of unerring accuracy across Gillespie and into the bottom corner to keep his record going.

With a nervy wait for the Doncaster result coming in to huge roars the Cherries completed a lovely lap of honour knowing only a 7-0 defeat at Tranmere could stop them. Brentfords later draw was to take away even this eventuality on the perfect day.

FT Bournemouth 3 Carlisle 1

Allsop 7 – Two good stops and sensible handling.

Francis 9 – Brilliant marking, blocks and barnstorming forward runs.
Cook 8 – Great goal and body on the line headers and blocks.
Elphick 7 – Calm captains display keeping everything steady.
Daniels 7 – Attacked less than normal but very solid defensively.

Ritchie 7 – Inventive and quick feet – worked socks off too.
Arter 8 – Quiet first half but ran the show in the second – great goal.
O’Kane 6 – A bit overran and poor error he later attoned for.
Pugh 6 – Kept busying away but not the force of old yet.

Grabban 6 – Linked well at times with Brett – lacking goal confidence
Pitman 8 – Worked socks off, led line well and scored….. again!
Verdict
It was a tense afternoon with a very resilient Carlisle side doing themselves proud. We were never going to be at our fluent best with so much riding on the game but played well in places and always had the class to pull a goal out when needed. Even though the passes were not at their smoothest the work-rate was still high and since Eddies return it has been this feature that has worn teams down and allowed the talented ones in to score.

Today wasn’t really about an oscar winning performance though it was all about not letting the hard work of the last month wither into the lottery of the play-offs. There is always a sense we can step up a gear and it rarely lets us down.

To come from third bottom to top is an unparalled achievement in this club’s history. So is eight straight victories. Great teams create records at will and while this team has stumbled it’s way together over the start of the season it has remained very settled in recent weeks and the players will rightly form a distinct eleven in our heads in the way a few other teams have before them.

The roar for Eddie and Jason was immense and perhaps sums up the opinion of the majority of fans that while the players have obviously done the business they are largely the same bunch that looked so out of sorts winning 1 of the first 11 games. It was the motivational and tactical skills of the managerial duo allied with the return of Brett and his 19 goals and the late spark of Ritchie that defined this memorable season.

It was fitting therefore that on a day of heroes they recieved the biggest ovation. We will need all their skills next year and we can have a great summer waiting. Memories like this come few and far between and let’s savour them through the next weeks and seal that Championship at a party day on the Wirral next Saturday!

Report by Neil Dawson