Graham Pearcey

Date: 24 March 2001

This was not the most exciting of matches to watch for a number of reasons. The referee didn't allow the match to flow and brandished yellow cards too often. The kind of game Bury play is bullish and inelegant. But at least we got another valuable three points, and passed the 'safety net' of fifty.

Bury dominated the first ten to fifteen minutes of the match - and the last twenty or so - but it was Bournemouth's game in between. There were scoring chances for Howe, Elliott, Jorgensen and both Fletchers - showing that they were getting into good positions but, sadly, lacked finishing power on the day.

There were some good free kicks from Hughes which, on another day, may have led to goals. And both Defoe and Hayter were showing a lot of pace, especially early in the second half.

But we had to make do, in the end, with Defoe's goal in the 21st minute of the first half. He beat a defender and rolled it past the Bury keeper who, otherwise, had an excellent game. Defoe's celebration showed relief as much as anything; his lean spell had come to an end and now, hopefully, his confidence will return.

Narada came on for Hayter late in the game, but Bournemouth weren't sitting on their one goal lead by any means. Narada and Broadhurst were getting into good forward positions without Jorgensen or Elliott dropping back; when necessary, it was Hughes who supported Tindall and Howe at the back for the latter part of the game.

The starting line-up, with my scores out of ten :

Stewart (6);
Broadhurst (7), Tindall (8), Howe (6);
Elliott (7), C Fletcher (7), Hughes (7), Jorgensen (7);
Hayter (7);
S Fletcher (7), Defoe (8).

By the end the line-up was :

Stewart;
Broadhurst, Tindall, Howe, Narada;
Elliott, C Fletcher, Hughes, Jorgensen;
S Fletcher, Feeney.

My 'man of the match' : Tindall.

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