AFC BOURNEMOUTH VS CHARLTON ATHLETIC

 The Cherries started life in the Championship with a fantastic 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic.

Two goals by Lewis Grabban was enough to see off the Londoners and earn Eddie Howe’s men three valuable Championship points.

AFCB were without last season’s top scorer Brett Pittman, who was only fit enough to make the substitutes bench and League One’s player of the year winger Matt Ritchie, who is still out injured.

The Cherries warm up

Eddie Howe handed full debuts to centre back Elliott Ward and tricky winger Mohamed Coulibaly, he also surprised a few people when he opted to pair Steve Cook with Ward in the centre of defence and leave club captain Tommy Elphick on the bench.

Charlton were without key man Johnnie Jackson but where boosted by new signing Marvin Sordell, who was handed his debut.

The Cherries backed by a noisy crowd started the match at a fast pace and dominated the opening exchanges.

The deadlock was finally broken when a quick short corner and cross was met by an unchallenged Lewis Grabban.

AFCB continued to have the better of the first half chances and Wes Thomas came close a minute later, but could not convert from a Marc Pugh cross.

The two sides line up

Chris Powell’s Charlton started the second half the brighter team, a Rhoys Wiggins cross was deflected into the path of Yann Kermogrant who acrobatically equalised for the Addicks.

Mohamed Coulibaly picked up a worrying knock and was replaced early in the second half by Ryan Fraser.

Howe would have been pleased with the reaction of his players to conceding the equaliser, backed by ferocious support, Bournemouth dominated the play and where rewarded when a wonder strike from Lewis Grabban restored the lead.

Charlton clear their lines

Charlton tried to get back into the match and managed to have a good twenty minute spell and came close to an equaliser when Bradley Pritchard had an effort cleared off the line by Elliott Ward.

Pritchard  all but ended Charlton’s chances with a poorly timed two footed lunge on Fraser which was penalised with a straight red card from referee Andy D’ Urso.

Pugh spurned a good late chance to seal the victory for the Cherries, but in the end it did not matter as the home side saw out six minutes of added time to gain their first victory in the Championship.

I was very impressed with the pace and intensity of how we played against a good championship side.

The Steve Fletcher Stand

The players really stepped up to the occasion and the fans created a great atmosphere.

Defensively we looked solid, Cook and Ward worked well together and Howe was proved right with his selection.

Arter and Macdonald controlled the midfield and Coulibaly and Fraser both looked dangerous on the wings.

Portsmouth visit the Goldsands on Tuesday evening in the Capital One Cup, let’s hope we can continue that winning feeling.

Final Score: Cherries 2-1 Charlton Athletic

Attendance: 10,108

Essential Cherries Man of the Match: Lewis Grabban