Graham Pearcey

Graham Pearcey

Blackpool 0 Cherries 0

Date: 18 September 1999

On paper, our first away point in the league and a top six position at the end of the day should be reason for celebration, but the 300 travelling fans from Bournemouth must have gone home from this game feeling let down. This match was winnable for the Cherries, but not for the home fans. An earlier substitution, particularly of the off-form Jorgensen, may have helped. Hughes could have moved to left wing back and Betsy into a position behind the two strikers; or Huck could have been brought on in a one-for-one for Jorgensen. But in fact no substitution was made until Betsy for Stein five minutes from the end.

The conditions were difficult, with strong winds, but Bournemouth managed to keep most of the possession, particularly in the first half. Although I have criticised Jorgensen for giving the ball away, this is in part symptomatic of the fact that he was given the ball so much in the first place. In fairness to him, he cleared from the line from virtually Blackpool's only goal-bound shot of the game - just before half time. He also had one shot at goal himself, as did Young in the second half.

Once again (as at Charlton on Tuesday) we included Broadhurst in a back five from the start, and as a result our defence always looked strong.

The team lined up as follows (my scores out of ten):



Ovendale (7);
Young (8), Broadhurst (7), Cox (8), Howe (8), Jorgensen (6);
Mean (7);
Robinson (7), Hughes (6);
Fletcher (7), Stein (7)



My 'man of the match' : Howe.



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