Graham Pearcey

Date: 10 February 2024

Bournemouth’s run of poor results continued today. It’s baffling how we managed to play so well in November and December but since then appear to have fallen apart.

There are one or two odd things about Fulham’s stadium. Our stand was ‘shared’ with home fans – only a single column of seats separating us in places. But more surprising was the fact that home and away fans share a single concourse. Anyway, no complaints: my view, despite being behind a goal, was a good one. The teams emerged from a tunnel in the ‘cottage’ corner, which is unusual as it’s such a long way from the players’ benches in the riverside stand.

There was a minute’s applause at the start of the match, though some of us were unclear who or what we were clapping. I subsequently learned from the programme that it’s the annual ‘Celebration Day’ commemorating fans who’ve died in the last twelve months. (The most famous of which, in Fulham’s case, is Mohamed al Fayed.)

We conceded a goal less than six minutes after kick-off. It was an unfortunate one because Cook had the ball in the area and was all ready to clear it when he slipped and fell. De Cordova-Reid took advantage and sent the ball flying into the net right in front of us away fans. Half an hour later we were 0-2 down, De Cordova-Reid being involved again when he nodded the ball to Muniz who scored. This score-line remained until half time even though we had possibly our best spell of play during this nine minutes (plus seven added).

We scored really early in the second half, when a Tavernier corner kick found Solanke who passed to Senesi who’d come up for the corner and who turned cleverly on the ball before shooting home. But within seconds Fulham had restored their two goal lead as Muniz, unmarked, scored on Fulham’s right, Bournemouth’s left. Iraola made all five allowable substitutions, giving us a chance to see Faivre and Unal in action, but to no avail. As in the first half, seven minutes were added but the score remained 3-1 to Fulham. I could only console myself with the thought that over the season as a whole we’ve beaten Fulham 4-3 on aggregate!

My trip home went surprisingly well. Putney Bridge station wasn’t especially busy (why not?) so, having left the stadium at 17:05, I was in the house at 18:12.

The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:

Neto;
Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly;
Christie, Cook;
Tavernier, Scott, Sinisterra;
Solanke

By the end the line-up was:

Neto;
Cook, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez;
Christie, Faivre;
Semenyo, Unal, Ouattara;
Solanke

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