Report by SJG

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR

AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

5^th May 1979

LATE GOALS PUT AN END TO PROMOTION DREAM.

Two late Bournemouth goals finally closed the book on Wigans promotion charge.

Noel Ward and Kevin Smart returned to the starting XI for the trip to Dean Court with the unlucky Davids being named as substitute.

Bournemouth, who still needed points to avoid any risk of having to apply for re-election began well and early pressure from the home side saw Smart pick up a yellow card. Roger Brown let fly with a vicious shot but the effort was partially blocked and the striker’s namesake in the Wigan goal was able to save.

Impey forced Brown into a save after a sharp header but the keeper could only parry the effort and the rebound fell to Borthwick who should have hit the target but instead blazed his effort wide.

In the 27^th minute Miller had a good effort that beat Brown but the woodwork came to Wigans aid and the rebound was cleared to safety. Then as the Cherries continued to dominate there was a lovely link up between Miller and Brown but the final finish was again wasted by the home side.

Half Time; AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Wigan Athletic.

Bournemouth continued to dominate proceedings after the break as Wigan struggled to get a foothold in the match, but as the home side began to get frustrated Wigan began to find their passing and with Moore doing well to find pockets of space they finally started to threaten. Moore had time and space to fire off a shot but the effort was wildly off target.

The dry bobbly pitch was not helping either side and when Moore miskicked following a bobble the ball fell to Brownbill but his snap shot was too high to trouble the keeper.

Manager Ian McNeill brought on Davids for Moore and pushed Ward forward to supplement the attack as Wigan went more direct. Gore and Brownbill both wasted decent chances before Wigan finally found the net in the 72^nd minute. PURDIE collected the ball deep in the Latics half before setting off on a surging run that ended in a dipping 25 yard shot that the keeper completely misjudged as it bounced just in front of his dive before skipping over his outstretched arms and into the net. Seven minutes later and Latics should have doubled the lead as Brownbill rounded the keeper but instead of squaring the ball to the unmarked Wright he tried to squeeze a shot home from a tight angle and only found the side-netting.

The miss proved crucial as on 82 minutes, following a misunderstanding between Fretwell and Davids, Ted McDougall provided a pin-point cross for MASSEY who headed home. Then on 88 minutes, with both sides going for a late winner, McDougall played a neat ball to Miller, who was surprisingly adjudged onside, and his cross picked out JOHNSON who headed the winning goal.

Full Time; AFC Bournemouth 2-1 Wigan Athletic

Scorers; Purdie (72); Massey (82), Johnson (88);

Attendance; 3,063

Team; WIGAN (4-4-2)—Brown; Smart, Hinnigan, Ward, Fretwell; Corrigan, Wright, Gore, Purdie; Brownbill, Moore; Sub; Davids for Moore

AFC BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2) — Allen; Cunningham, Miller, Impey, Brown; Holder, Borthwick, MacDougall, Johnson; Scott, Brown; Sub; Massey for Scott

Referee; Mr Edward O. Hughes (Weston-Super-Mare).