Match Report

[Rodger Wylde]

Owls hoot.... at missed penalty...

Bournemouths recent stuttering home form continued tonight as a missed penalty by Michael Symes resulted in a third consecutive home draw.

A tense and turgid battle against Megson's well structured Owls team saw Bournemouth fail to break away from a chasing pack that also drew most of their games. The side will feel frustrated that two late injury time goals and a missed penalty in the last three home games has prevented us opening up a sizeable gap to take into the business end of the season. That said, without a stunning performance from Jalal we could even have lost ground.

Bournemouth named an unchanged side but Stockley returned to the bench with Cummings stepping down. It was Sheff Wed that made all the early running though, packing the midfield with five and storming into every tackle to gain ascendancy. They should have taken an early lead when Madine laid the ball back for Osbourne to thump a shot straight at Jalal from six yards. Minutes later and the impressive Villa loanee Osbourne was at it again breaking clear on the right from a corner and forcing Jalal into a wonder save with his left leg.

Bournemouth didn't know what had hit them and struggled to put any passes together or win any loose balls as a typically well organised Megson side ground forwards at will dominating the Cherries aerially. Pugh was playing very deep and Ings and Symes were continually beaten to the out-balls as the frustration grew in the crowd. With the midfield over-marked the play-maker roles fell to the two centre-halfs but they could only pump the ball high at a Wednesday back four that were all over 6'2.

It was turgid stuff and Bournemouth didn't have a shot on target till the 30th minute when Pugh's one-two with Ings saw the winger fire straight at Weever from the edge of the box.

The game was rapidly turning into a war of attrition with precious little chances. Bournemouth took all the free-kicks short, conscious of the Owls aerial dominance but often these moves broke down. The one exception was when Ings tricked his way into the box - he was too quick for Beever's who tripped him - but sadly was too quick also for the referee who missed the trip too for what looked like a blatant penalty.

The only other chance before half time came when Smith brilliantly broke 70 yards through the middle but Ings delayed his shot when the ball came to him and could only fire at Weever.

HT Bournemouth 0 Sheff Weds 0

Sheff Weds continued after the break as they had gone into it playing with force high up the pitch. It nearly resulted in an early goal as Walker broke clear on the left but Jalal's brilliant finger-tip save deflected his drive over.

Bournemouth continued to play aerially to Ings to the crowds frustration and this was meat and drink for the giant Johnson and Beevers. The pivotal moment in the match came on 50 minutes. Another high ball into the box saw Symes pole-axed by Johnson and the referee instantly awarded a penalty. Symes gingerly picked himself up rubbing his head and neck and it looked as if Pugh or Feeney were going to take the kick. After a long debate the in-form Symes called for the match-ball, delayed to see Weevers head the wrong way........ but then fired the ball wide of the right-hand upright.

This spurred Bournemouth on to a small spell of good football but too often the final ball fell into space or crosses came in with no-one in the box. With frustration growing Wednesday forced themselves into the match again and created their best chance when Sedgewick crossed to Miller - his instant sidefoot was destined for the bottom corner before a miraculous one handed stop by Jalal.

Towards the end the game was beginning to stretch as both teams tired after their weekend exploits. Bournemouth then fashioned a brilliant opening with the classic low corner routine but Cooper's drive came back off the foot of the post with Weever beaten.

You sensed from that moment that it wasn't to be and despite Bradbury eventually throwing on Fletch and Stockley for the last ten minutes the game was rapidly petering out with both sides shorn of ideas. Jalal saved well again from Sedgewicks low drive in the only chance fashioned before the final whistle.