Source: Northern_Echo
Darlington beaten at Bournemouth
Two second half Bournemouth goals were enough to see off Darlington and ensure there would be no repeat of the midweek party-pooping.[LNB] On Tuesday Simon Davey's side, already relegated, performed a 'smash and grab' raid at Rochdale by defending for long periods and coming away with a 1-0 win.[LNB] And for almost an hour today a spirited Quakers kept Bournemouth away from goal, restricting their chances, but eventually they tired and succumbed to a side on the brink of promotion.[LNB] Eddie Howe's team can seal their League One place next weekend, and today they forced Darlington on to the backfoot from the off.[LNB] But it was Davey's side who had the best chance of the opening 45 minutes with leading scorer Tadhg Purcell going wide with a lob on seven minutes.[LNB] The Irishman had latched on to a ball down the ball of the pitch but volleyed wide of far post when one-one-one with keeper Shwan Jalal.[LNB] Thereafter, the Cherries saw more of the ball but for all their possession they struggled to force Quakers keeper Shane Redmond into action.[LNB] Midfielder Danny Hollands headed wide from Brett Pitman's inswinging corner and then Darlington went unpunished despite leaving Pitman unmarked on the edge of the penalty area.[LNB] The Bournemouth striker brought down a left-wing cross but fired wide when he had been afforded more space and time that he realised.[LNB] But that was a rare slip from Darlington's defence which remained solid throughout the half, restricting the hosts' sight of goal to half chances.[LNB] From a Pitman knock-down, Fletcher saw a 14-yard volley deflected wide and then Alan White flung himself in the way of a Pitman effort just past the half-hour mark.[LNB] Six minutes before the break Hollands appeared ready to pull the trigger from 16 yards but he dallied, instead passing to Fletcher whose effort was deflected wide for a corner.[LNB] Bournemouth's game-plan was clear: play balls up to Fletcher and Pitman, and the latter would have benefitted had Ian Miller not been alert just before half-time.[LNB] While under pressure from Bournemouth's 23-goal marksman, the captain did well to guide the ball back to Redmond as an under-pressure Darlington continued to defend valiantly.[LNB] The Cherries had gained an increasing grip on the game and in first-half injury-time came their best chance with Fletcher again the target.[LNB] He evaded White six yards from goal to meet Pitman's free-kick, but much to Quakers' relief the Hartlepool-born striker headed wide and it was also Fletcher who had the first chance after the break.[LNB] In a penalty area scramble his shot was blocked by a spirited Miller, who then engaged in a brief altercation with Redmond, presumably a result of the keeper's reluctance to communicate with his back-line.[LNB] Soon after the keeper did not make himself much more popular by allowing Anton Robinson's header to slip through his hands to make it 1-0 on 56 minutes.[LNB] The midfielder met a left-wing cross to head at goal, straight at the keeper, but Redmond was unable to deal with an effort that lacked power.[LNB] Despite the fortunate nature of the goal, it had been coming as Bournemouth had pressed throughout and there was no let up after the goal.[LNB] They got their second on 71 minutes, though again Quakers contributed to their own downfall with Simon Madden conceding a penalty.[LNB] The right-back, recalled in place of the injured Paul Arnison, handled in the box and Pitman scored the resulting penalty to net his 24th league goal of the season.[LNB] Purcell headed over Darlington's sole chance of the second half as Davey's side, showing signs of tiredness, struggled to make an impression.[LNB] Shortly before the goal Davey had changed formation to 4-4-2 and made a double substitution, sending on youngsters Dan Groves and Michael Smith, and on 75 minutes Chris Moore went on in place of the injured Josh Gray who hobbled off with a knee problem.[LNB] But Quakers tired, perhaps an affect of Tuesday's impressive performance. One consequence was a succession of injuries which meant Davey was only able to name five substitutes today with Richie Byrne (back) and Mor Diop (ankle) unable to be on the bench.[LNB] In the closing stages Redmond partially redeemed himself. Firstly, after left-back Rhoys Wiggins cut inside and unleashed a low shot, Redmond got his body behind to save and in injury-time the Irish keeper pulled off a spectacular save.[LNB] He leapt to his left and single-handedly pushed Alan Connell's shot on to the crossbar.[LNB] Moore charged through midfield and played in Michael Smith but the young striker was shepherded away from goal and the chance was gone, as was Quakers' chance of spoiling another promotion party.[LNB] They are next in action at Cheltenham Town on Tuesday.[LNB] Goals: Robinson (56, 1-0), Pitman penalty (71, 2-0)[LNB] Booking: G Smith (9, foul), Mulligan (45, foul); Pearce (48, foul); Dempsey (60, foul); Bartley (85, foul)[LNB] Referee: Paul Taylor (Enfield)[LNB] Attendance: 6,464[LNB] Bournemouth (4-4-2): Jalal; Bradbury, Cooper, Pearce, Wiggins; Feeney (McQuoid 80), Robinson, Bartley (Goulding 90), Hollands; Pitman, Fletcher (Connell 82). Subs (not used): Thomas (gk), Igoe, Cummings, Guyett[LNB] Darlington (4-5-1): Redmond; Madden, White, Miller, Giddings; Mulligan (M Smith 64), Convery, G Smith, Dempsey (Groves 64), Gray (Moore 75); Purcell. Subs (not used): Liversedge, Bower[LNB]
