Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Dale memories for Pitman the provider
CHERRIES ace marksman Brett Pitman has unselfishly admitted providing goals gives him almost as much pleasure as scoring them.[LNB] Pitman was both architect and executioner as Cherries maintained pole position in League Two with a 3-1 victory over Grimsby six days ago.[LNB] The 21-year-old provided the assists for Cherries first two goals before bagging his eighth of the campaign with a spectacular overhead kick.[LNB] And the Jersey-born hitman will be hoping for more of the same when Cherries host Rochdale in a top-of-the-table clash at Dean Court tomorrow (3pm).[LNB] Pitman notched the first hat-trick of his professional career when Eddie Howes men toppled Dale 4-0 in the corresponding fixture in April.[LNB] He told the Daily Echo: Rochdale were the best footballing side we played last season, especially at their place.[LNB] We werent on a very good run when we went there in December and had to battle really hard for a point. The scoreline in the home game flattered us because we certainly werent four goals better than them on the day. But we managed to put away our chances and they didnt.[LNB] Im pleased with how the season has gone so far, both for me and the team. You always hope to do well but you should never expect it. We have started the season as we finished last season and need to keep it going.[LNB] I just want to keep scoring and keep setting up goals for other people. The quick free kick for the first goal against Grimsby was something Eddie (Howe) encourages us to work on in training. I managed to find Alan (Connell) and he finished it well. It doesnt matter who scores as long as we keep winning.[LNB] Pitmans rapid rise in Cherries list of all-time record league goalscorers has seen him climb from 30th in early September to 19th, his haul of 37 coming from 71 starts and 71 appearances from the bench.[LNB] He has also continued to answer his critics, with his credentials questioned by some followers after he had entered the Dean Court hall of fame earlier this season.[LNB] Be less selfish, train hard, practice free kicks, memorise where the goal posts are and we can then start to talk about hall of fame, wrote one poster on the Daily Echo forum.[LNB] Another said: Pitman is a good player but being only 30th in the hall of fame still leaves him with a lot of goals to score.[LNB] Steve Fletcher (knee) and Mark Molesley (foot) are Cherries two main injury concerns ahead of Rochdales visit.[LNB] Cherries: (from) Jalal, Bradbury, Pearce, Garry, Cummings, Feeney, Hollands, Robinson, Molesley, Pitman, Connell, Fletcher, Bartley, McQuoid, Goulding, Thomas.[LNB] Rochdale: (from) Arthur, Wiseman, Stanton, Dawson, T Kennedy, Whaley, Jones, J Kennedy, Rundle, Dagnall, O'Grady, Thompson, McArdle, Holness, Stephens, Magna, Flynn, Spencer, Taberner.[LNB]
