Bournemouth Report Part Two

By: Andy Lumbard
Date: 16/12/2003

TOWN, unchanged for the next 27 minutes, didn't trouble the Bournemouth keeper at all. Iffy broke free down the left wing, but his cross was to no-one.

Bournemouth 0 Grimsby Town 0
13 Dec 2003, Nationwide League Division 2

Boulding broke down the middle, but not for the first time kicked it too far ahead and, being outsprinted, was judged to have fouled the competing defender.

The ensuing counterattack produced the first of three Bournemouth free kicks that merited a Grimsby wall. None of which produced any hope of looking like a goal. Perhaps time to give an honourable mention to our ace spoiler: the Prince of Snuff, Mr Tony Crane.

Bournemouth had more than a couple of corners during a period of pressure. One produced an on-target, half-bicycle, falling down type of shot (you know the type... the ones that Iffy keeps missing). This produced a commendable save from Davison.

Then a flashback to Peterborough as Bournemouth break down the left and shot from the corner of the area. It may have been on target, but Davison guided it past the post for a corner. A further attack produced a scrappy goalmouth scramble; three shots were blocked at close quarters, with the ball eventually ending up near the foot of Davison's right post. Feeney challenged with McDermott and the ball flew wide. Goal kick! I guess they missed a sitter.

Barnard raced down the left and kicking the ball too far, a la Boulding, The ball was controlled by the Bournemouth centre-back who set off back upfield, only to trip over Barnard's outstretched leg as he slid by. Another yellow card.

Onuora's turn again, receiving a talking-to for questioning some inconsequential decision. Time to substitute him before he gets himself sent off, thought the Town fans, as one. But no. A collective jaw drop and intake of breath... Disco Des comes on for Pouton. All rise as the great warrior leaves the field of combat. Pouton claps his fans and acknowledges the boos from the home end. Town fans return to their seats with fingers crossed. Well, nothing happened, so we must have got away with it.

Mansaram, now on for Campbell, broke from the central right position and headed for goal, his ungainly gait giving the impression that the long laces of his boots had been tied together and the ball was being dragged along by them. Being incapable of looking up to pass to Boulding, he was easily tackled, by a defender, probably, but it might as well have been one of the mascots.

Anderson replaced Jevons for the last five minutes, white boots for white boots. On 90 minutes Town had a free kick in front of their own fans, which was easily defended. Bournemouth went up the other end and wasted a corner. Full time. A point away from home. Well that's all right, isn't it?

My paper says that Bournemouth had seven shots on target to Grimsby's two. Do they count it if it was going in the vague direction of the goal, but blocked by a defender? I would estimate that if both teams had played without a keeper, we may have drawn 1-1 or perhaps lost 2-1 (it was a difficult angle to judge from).

Nicko's man of the match

They all played competently, and looked very pleased with the draw. Tony Crane gets the nod over Alan Pouton, who would've got it if he'd played the full game.

Official warning

Without the rose-tinted glasses on, all Town's cards looked justified. Referee Mr Kettle scores 1.78 out of 10, however, as he came over as a bit too much of a homer.

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