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Date: 3 May 2026
If, as seems likely, this was my final match watching the Cherries, I’m just pleased to have witnessed an impressive victory.
I’ve attended, at a conservative estimate, more than 500 matches in more than 50 seasons. The only season I missed was the COVID one. But from now on I’m excluded, for not having a smartphone. (If I got one I wouldn’t know how to use it!) I’m not even able to attend the final home match of this season, despite having enough loyalty points, so I shan’t be able to celebrate what looks like being a very special season. But the issue of paper tickets is ceasing immediately.
As for today's game: I’d only proposed one change from the anticipated line-up, which was Adams for Christie, and that was Iraola’s thought too!
We dominated the first half, evidence including the large number of corner kicks we were awarded, at one point three in a row. Ironically, Palace’s only purple patches in this half were around the half hour mark, i.e. around the time of our second goal, and through the four added minutes at the end of the half.
We were slow to celebrate our first goal, following a Scott corner, because Henderson appeared to have cleared it. But, unfortunately for Palace, goal-line technology showed the ball had already crossed the line. Former Bournemouth player Jefferson Lerma was the scorer. For the second goal, Henderson brought down Senesi and there was a VAR check for a penalty. It was a long wait. Curiously, Truffert held the ball close to his chest throughout the waiting time, but when the penalty was confirmed he handed it to Kroupi - who did a little dance but then slotted the ball into the net beautifully. Half time: 2-0.
Palace made three substitutions at half time and did play better in the second half. But we were also able to make some changes later on including subbing all three goal scorers, and giving Brooks a brief spell in the number 10 position. But it was Brooks’ perfect pass to Rayan from Bournemouth’s right flank that enabled Rayan to seal the win with our third goal.
The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:
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Petrovic;
Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert;
Adams, Scott;
Rayan, Kroupi, Tavernier;
Evanilson
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Petrovic;
Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert;
Christie, Scott;
Gannon-Doak, Adli, Brooks;
Unal
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