Graham Pearcey

Graham Pearcey

QPR Reserves 4 Cherries Reserves 2

Date: 29 April 2003

About 180-200 people watched this match, many entering either direct from the car park or via the graveyard. But the 'official' attendance was 118: the number who discovered and used the turnstile!

Bournemouth used a couple of local youngsters, five triallists, and a remnant of first teamers to obtain a makeshift squad that were dominated by QPR for most of the game, as the scoreline demonstrates. Mark Williams (Brentford) looked lively on the right wing, and Andrew Bell (Blackburn) sometimes looked threatening; but none of Nick Buxton (Watford), Chris Nunn (Charlton) nor Graham Ward (Wolves) particularly shone. QPR scored ten minutes after the start (which I only just caught, the tube service to Northwood Hills being so dire!), and three more times in the second half. At least one of their second half goals was totally the fault of Stewart, who as usual wandered too far off his line leaving the goalmouth empty.

Stock was replaced by Connell at half time, which may indicate that both are under consideration for Saturday. Connell played in central midfield for 15 minutes until Saadi came on for Eribenne; then Saadi played in Stock's former position and Connell moved forward to the right of Bell.

Bournemouth's two second-half goals were scored by Narada (headed in from short range) and Bell (a power shot into the far back corner of the net from a wide position on the left).

In what were in all probability Narada and Eribenne's swansongs, the starting line-up was (with my scores out of ten) :



Stewart (6);
Wood (7), Bond (7), Buxton (7), Nunn (7);
Williams (8), Stock (7), Ward (7), Narada (8);
Bell (8), Eribenne (6).



My 'man of the match' : Williams.



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