Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Bradbury sticks up for striker Symes
BOSS Lee Bradbury defended Michael Symes after last night's missed penalty and praised the striker's recent form.[LNB] In-form Symes, with three goals in his past three matches, fired wide having won the spot kick early in the second period against Sheffield Wednesday.[LNB] It was Cherries' best opportunity on a tough night against the Owls, who made the hosts battle throughout before the teams settled for a goalless draw at Dean Court.[LNB] Leading marksman Marc Pugh has been a penalty taker this term but Symes got the nod to take Cherries' 12-yarder against Wednesday.[LNB] Having seen keeper Nicky Weaver commit himself by diving to his right, Symes coolly slotted the ball the other way, only to see his right-footed effort fly agonisingly wide of the upright.[LNB] Bradbury said: Symesey is in good goalscoring form and he is confident. He was happy to take it and Pughy was happy for him to take it.[LNB] Symesey has done brilliantly for us and had scored three in three games. Every striker misses penalties, including myself when I used to play, so we can't hold that against him at all.[LNB] He has scored more than his fair share and has earned us points.[LNB] Bradbury remained positive after the game but admitted it had been the hardest match of his managerial career so far.[LNB] The visitors, looking to halt an awful run of seven consecutive away league losses, enjoyed the better of the first half.[LNB] Cherries improved after the break and Symes missed from the spot before Shaun Cooper hit the post, while star man Shwan Jalal produced two excellent saves as both teams came close to getting a winner.[LNB] Bradbury said he felt the Owls had posed the biggest challenge of his reign so far. When asked if it was the most difficult of his eight games in charge, he said: Yes, it probably was.[LNB] They made it uncomfortable for us. In the first half, it was tough going.[LNB] They really came and fought. If they play like that week in, week out, they won't be far off.[LNB] But in the second half, I thought we were a lot better than in the first and could have won the game with the half-chances we had and the penalty.[LNB] But then they could have as well. Jal played excellently again and pulled off two or three great saves.[LNB] Bradbury added: It kept our run going and we are still unbeaten under Fletch and I.[LNB] It is a positive thing. The other results went for us and a lot of the teams drew, so it is another game that they can't catch us.[LNB] Looking at that, it has got to be a positive result.[LNB]
