LEICESTER CITY 2 AFC BOURNEMOUTH 1
Match Report by Mike King
With Burnley playing QPR, this was a must win home game to collect 3 points and keep up the surge towards automatic promotion, but promoted Bournemouth would be no pushover as they have scored in every game so far this season and enjoy a good league position. Other than Pitman and West Ham loanee Collison, the Bournemouth team have no real stars and it was difficult to name any other player, but obviously they are a good team who play well together and a late goal at Forest the previous week to earn a deserved draw could help us at the season's end if points difference is crucial.
Manager Pearson named an unchanged team from the previous win against Huddersfield with Polish international Wasilewski partnering Morgan in central defence and Moore continuing at right back. Nugent, not in his best form, kept his place upfront but must be under pressure from Wood who is keen to get back into the team.
The City started well with most attacks down the left involving Dyer. Bournemouth played the long ball trying to get Grabban and Rantie away but Morgan and Wasilewski dealt easily with everything at the back. Knockaert's excellent through ball found Dyer and his powerful shot was saved by keeper Allsop. Then Dyer put Vardy through and his pace out did Ward who had no choice but to bring Vardy down on the edge of the box for a well deserved yellow card. The resulting Knockaert free kick found Morgan but his goal bound header was blocked by Vardy near the goal line and a defender cleared.
Bournemouth changed tactics and begun to pass the ball around starting from their keeper, but Vardy and Nugent did their best to close down the defenders. However, Grabban nearly scored with a drive that was deflected wide. It was noticeable in front of the East stand that Knockaert was going walkabout, leaving Moore exposed on the City's right with 2 players to defend against and a better team would have taken more advantage of the situation.
Dyer was using his pace on the left and the City took the lead with a great goal. Dyer ran the line, cut inside and found Nugent who looked up and curled the ball from an angle from just outside the box into the far corner of the net past the diving Allsop. Bournemouth were clearly stunned as the Foxes played some good football with Drinkwater in the middle finding his form and now being more positive with his passing rather than negatively at the start of the season.
Dyer and Knockaert combined and nearly put Vardy in, but then Referee Davies bottled a decision in front of the dugouts. Defender Ward didn't like a decision and kicked the ball 30 yards away, and as he had already been booked, a second yellow followed by a red was an easy decision for the man in the middle to make, but no, a lecture to Ward followed after shouts of "Off, off, off" from the home fans.
Eight minutes before half-time, an improving Bournemouth scored an equaliser. Rantie, proceeding down the right, the ball was squared to Pugh who shot from all of 20 yards, his drive finding the top left of Schmeichel's net for a good goal, much to the delight of the quiet Cherries travelling fans, the Cherries keeping up the scoring record. Knockaert tried his luck after a Vardy pass but shot wide as the referee's half-time whistle arrived.
City started the second period well, and again, defender Ward got away with a clear shove in Vardy's back as he raced into the box, but the official that mattered waved the claims for a clear cut penalty away. Wood then received the nod from stand-based Pearson to replace Nugent who seemed to be in some discomfort as he exited the pitch.
The City were now on top and went all out for the winner, but erratic shots from Vardy and then Moore didn't cause keeper Allsop any problems, with Schmeichel largely a spectator at the other end. Pitman then entered the fray, replacing Fraser, but another angled shot from Knockaert extended Allsop with a good save.
Vardy then received a yellow card for a foul, but minutes later, scored what turned out to be the winner. Wood won the ball near the half-way line, advanced goalwards shrugging off several challenges and found Vardy who timed his run perfectly, running into the penalty area, rounded the static Allsop and passed the ball into an empty net – Nugent learn from the previous week!!! This was the type of finish the City paid a £1 million fee for the ex Fleetwood striker as his confidence must now be sky high.
Then, Ward received his just desserts with a red card as the impressive Drinkwater went on a lovely run through the Cherries mid-field and was upended by Ward. The referee couldn't bottle this one and as Ward left the pitch there was some trouble near the tunnel with the Bournemouth management. Thomas replaced Daniels as the City tried to extend their lead but then, again, decided to sit back with the 3 points seemingly in the bag. This is the fifth time this season, at home, with the game poised at 2-1, with 15/20 minutes to go, we fail to punish the opposition when on top and better our goal difference which could prove costly in May.
The tired Vardy was replaced by Schlupp with 5 minutes to go as Bournemouth tried everything to obtain the equaliser and take a share of the points. Hammond replaced King. From a corner, Dyer on the left looked up and found Knockaert in acres of space on the right. He squared for Schlupp and what looked like a simple tap in missed the far post. Then Dyer had 2 chances, the first in the box but was on his right foot so we know the result of that and then at the far post blasted into row 'Z' when it should have been 3-1.
After 5 minutes of extra time the final whistle was blown by the man in the middle and another 3 home points in the bag. With Burnley beating QPR 2-0, the City go into automatic promotion place but QPR have a game in hand.
Three great goals in the game and some good performances from the City's players. Schmeichel had little to do and Wasilewski impresses alongside Morgan with his ball distribution from the back very good especially out wide. Drinkwater was my MOM and seems to be out shining King, with the 2 strikers going well and scoring. Moore was left exposed at right back by Knockaert but he also gave the ball away many times down the line so if that is now his permanent position, Pearson must guide "one of our own" on the training field.
Now bring on Fulham!
City: Schmeichel 7, Moore 6, Wasilewski 8, Morgan 7, Konchesky 6, Knockaert 7, King 6 (Hammond), Drinkwater 9, Dyer 7, Vardy 8 (Schlupp), Nugent 7 (Wood). Subs not used: Logan, James, Miquel, Taylor-Fletcher.
AFC Bournemouth: Allsop, Francis, Cook, Ward, Arter, Pugh, Daniels (Thomas), Fraser (Pitman), Collison, Rantie. Subs not used: Surman, Harte, Jalal, O'Kane
Referee: A. Davies Crowd: 23,357
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation