Johnstone's Paint Trophy
AFC Bournemouth 0 - 0 Torquay United
United win 3-0 on penalties
Bournemouth: Jalal; Bartley, Stockley (Taylor 58), Garry, Hollands, Pearce (c), Purches (Bradbury 46), Arter, Pugh, Cummings, Feeney (Robinson 71). Subs: Cooper, Ings.
Yellow card: Bradbury
United: Bevan; Nicholson, Ellis, Robertson, Mansell, Benyon (Kee 71), Wroe (c), Stevens (Gritton 71), Branston, Zebroski, O'Kane (Lathrope 86). Subs: Potter, Charnock.
Yellow card: Gritton
Att: 3,140
United won their way through this JPT tie with a penalty shoot-out victory after the normal time score finished 0-0. It was a hard fought match with Mark Ellis outstanding at the back for the Gulls and in the end Bournemouth missed two of their spot kicks with Scott Bevan saving the other while Chris Robertson, Nicky Wroe & Kevin Nicholson all scored for the Gulls.
Bucks made one change from the team that started at Port Vale at the weekend with Eunan O'Kane coming in to the midfield at the expense of Wayne Carlisle. United set-up with Chris Zebroski on the right and Eunan playing in the hole behind Elliot Benyon.
United soaked up some early pressure from Bournemouth but had a great chance to take the lead in the fifth minute when a corner from the right by Kevin Nicholson was swung in invitingly for Mark Ellis but the Gulls defender couldn't get a proper contact on the ball and a goalkickwas the result.
In the 15th minute Guy Branston produced two perfectly timed blocks on the edge of the area to deny the home side a test of Scott Bevan while further up the pitch Lee Mansell & Eunan O'Kane were combining well on a number of occasions early on with Eunan finding some space between the Cherries' midfield and back four. The first serious attempt at goal came in the 16th minute when Hollands hit a 20 yard right foot strike but it was always rising and didn't trouble Scott Bevan.
Midway through the first half Chris Zebroski was released down the right by a Guy Branston header and Zebs forced his way to the right edge of the Bournemouth penalty area before testing Jalal with a low right foot drive but the Cherries' 'keeper tipped the ball wide for a corner.
Arter gave United a fright in the 34th minute when he skipped past a tackle on the edge of the Gulls' box but thankfully pulled his shot wide of the right hand post. Mark Ellis was in outstanding heading form during the first half and when needed was on hand to provide a crunching block tackle on Hollands who was about to pull the trigger from 15 yards out.
In an end-to-end first half United gave as good as they got and at times played some neat football on the break. No goals at the break and if the scoreline was still a draw at full-time it would be straight to penalties.
Half-Time: AFC Bournemouth 0 United 0
Scott Bevan was forced into a double save early into the second half when he first parried away a Pugh shot from 18 yards and responded quickly to tip Arter's follow-up over the crossbar for a corner. United were unchanged for the second period and were looking to create a little bit more in front of goal to back up some of their decent approach play.
The home side were beginning to enjoy a touch more of the ball than they did in the first period and United were having to soak up a bit more pressure but Bournemouth certainly weren't carving huge holes in the Gulls' defence.
The sights the home side had at United's goal all seemed to be from distance and as the hour mark passed the chance of a goal from either side was looking slight despite plenty of effort.
Bucks made his first changes of the tie with twenty minutes to go when he replaced Danny Stevens & Elliot Benyon with Martin Gritton & Billy Kee respectively which meant a switch to the left for Chris Zebroski, O'Kane to the right and the new pairing of Gritton and Kee up front.
Scott Bevan was the busier 'keeper by this stage and saved United on two more occasions with a fine block with his legs and another tip wide as Bournemouth tried to crank up the pressure.
United called Jalal into action in the Cherries' goal with ten minutes remaining when Chris Zebroski curled a right foot effort toward the far post but the Bournemouth 'keeper got a hand to the ball which took it inches away from Martin Gritton who was bearing down on goal.
Despite that chance United were creaking as Bournemouth enjoyed most of the ball and won a succession of corners but the Gulls were showing plenty of defensive resilience, especially in the air where they dominated throughout the match.
United's final change was made when Damon Lathrope replaced Eunan O'Kane with four minutes remaining for his second appearance in a Gulls shirt.
It certainly wasn't the Alamo but the Gulls were up against it during the final stages but they held firm, as they have done all season and the final whistle brought us to a penalty shoot-out.
Full-Time: 0-0
Penalties:
Bournemouth (Cummings) - miss (0-0)
United (Robertson) - scores (0-1)
Bournemouth (Bradbury) - miss (0-1)
United (Wroe) - scores (0-2)
Bournemouth (Pugh) - saved (0-2)
United (Nicholson) - scores (0-3)
United win 3-0 on penalties.
