 AFC Bournemouth's disappointing end to the 2020-21 season was soon to be replaced with fresh optimism, with the Cherry's appointing new head coach Scott Parker before the start of the 21-22 campaign. Pre-season training camp was a tough 10 days in the 30° plus heat of Marbella. Scott Parker had the players doing double sessions, with an emphasis not only on the tactical elements of the game, but also on making sure the group were one of the fittest in the division. Pre-season is key really, pre-season gives you a base and a foundation. We sat out at the start of the season, we worked hard, we worked very very hard in terms of that and want to be the fittest team. Physically I always knew that we would be that team and I think we've seen that throughout the season in games as well, games when we've come strong back-ender games. Our physicality has paid a large part to that really and like I said that's full credit to all the guys involved in it really. That was sort of the test really, everyone come in, obviously new manager and staff so it was a great time for us to build our fitness and push ourselves and try and learn what the new staff and manager wanted and we just gave it all in Marbella and in the later heat-wise degrees and it was just a tough time but we all got true and I think come the end of the season showed the fitness we had as a team definitely paid off. Pre-season was very tough obviously, we had a lot of young players, not many signings so it was very tough under new management but one I thoroughly enjoyed and obviously put us in good stead for the season. Pre-season for the Cherries ended with games against Premier Divisions at Real Ballonpedica Linenzi, La Liga's Granada and Premier League Chelsea. With the new season just over the horizon expectations were high within the team. The aim coming into the season was promotion, all the boys wanted it from how the season went last season and that was our aim from the get-go. Gafford set it out straight away in pre-season and everyone knew it was promotion to finish first or second or even via the playoffs so yeah it was just promotion. You know you didn't want to talk about it too early but obviously it was just the kind of the promotion that's what I was desperate for. You know from when I joined the club speaking to everybody around that's what everybody was desperate to achieve so I kind of noticed as soon as I came through the door how hard everybody was wanting to work towards that. The first competitive game of the season came in the form of a Carabao Cup fixture against MK Donnes at Vitality Stadium. Who again is desperate absolutely desperate willow to pass the ball out to someone short Solanki's not having none of it he kicks the ball in straight to Solanki spilt the ball to the ground sent the clearance straight into Solanki Adam Smith will get the ricochet over on the left side kill Kenny with the ball into the box looking for the volley Oh David Brooks what a brilliant goal from Bournemouth Gavin kill Kenny from left to right it dropped onto the foot of Brooks who just placed it past Franco Ravizzoli the MK Donnes goalkeeper kill Kenny picks it up there's another sweeping pass from Gavin kill Kenny the Irishman sends one out to Brooks down the right overlapping run from Adam Smith in the box lovely turn from Solanki and an even better finish into the far corner another brilliant goal from Bournemouth started off from that man Gavin kill Kenny sweeping ball to the right Adam Smith eventually with the delivery into Solanki turned away from his man and slotted it past the goalkeeper well given away Phil Billing what a one with the keeper finds the back of the net MK Donnes playing themselves into trouble again on the edge of their own area they have just gifted Phil Billing his first goal of the season and you don't need to tell me from the jeer me to tell you from the jeers that uh the MK Donnes goalkeeper has passed it out and given it away again at the back to Stanislas this time he finds David Brooks to the right side of the brooks fortunately for the keeper men back in numbers Stanislas across to Sadie debut goal for Christie and Sadie off the bench for Bournemouth what a moment for the youngster and then again they try and play their way out of trouble MK Donnes and they run straight into Christie and Sadie and Phil Billing who lays it off to David Brooks who makes it Bournemouth five MK Donnes Neil yeah the MK Donnes game was um early one it was a bit of um a tester really uh obviously it was a cup game um before we even had a league game so um we had to to show we was working on throughout the the whole of preseason but um yeah it was ready for that it was a good game and yeah it was just good to get playing again after a successful first game in the caribou cup the league was just six days away and a visit from West Brom would be the first of six fixtures in august this is jaden anthony sent in by town's end we're getting with his feet this time which in that cross oh shit arriving woods they've got big central defenders starnell furlong as well really capable and this will really disappoint scott parker not that but this bit here huge boots of on half-town juma tonight these things the beautifully with samora so like he was waiting take a bow jaden anthony and jordan samora because without you this just doesn't happen it's a great piece of endeavor initially by anthony but look at the willing run of samora it's picked out beautifully and while samora's cross doesn't find its intended target maybe button can only palm the ball into the danger area matt phillips kill kenny was after him phillips smuggled through to mowith robinson exactly where his teammate is and it's a brilliant all-round goal still work to be done isn't it when it arrives at callum robinson's right foot but he gets the perfect contact and the perfect direction got a response over to you Bournemouth again west brom august the sixth i want to say um yeah i don't know that day the build up towards it for me personally it was um you know a single swim and i always back myself no matter what so i said to myself you know i'm gonna go give it my all and that's all i can do yeah and i was a great day and um it was the start of something special that was a special day obviously i'd played a few times last season but never got to start and you know when obviously the manager told me um i was playing i was i had a long day waiting for the game and i was just trying to try not to be nervous i was chilling and waiting for the game and then you know when when you cross the line it all goes out the window and and yeah no it's a special day brooks over on the far side now for the cherries trying to get some energy into their forward play little link up with billy that's nice and now david brooks into the box she turns the back of the net david brooks it was selenki in fact with the link up and david brooks fired it across sambar and it nestled in the left hand side of the goal and it's the cherries first no two will move on target really 28 minutes gone and david brooks is off the mark in the league this season that's three in total forest no cherries one a two a two angled wall this one as it's flipped in by zinc and argle headed towards going down inside the forest half billing left hand side now antony inside the left corner of the penalty it plays it back to phil billing who smashes it into the back of the net and phil billing scores for the third successive game right in front of those traveling Bournemouth fans who are loving their day out in the east midlands so far bidding once again the cherries gold machine hits forest one cherries two as uh oh david brooks you're silly silly silly boys pulled back his man osse 22 and david brooks has stupidly got himself sent off and we have to say we called it coming you're surfing a tight rope when you've already got yourself crooked early in the game and david brooks inexplicably pulled back osse 22 shirt debut here because brennan camp is stripped off gel car value goes past the challenge of ipson rossy knocks it to his right hand side johnson squares it and grab and can't get there there's a superb challenge in there from chris meppum what a tackle to put it away as grab and seem sure to tap it in what a tackle by meps that was absolutely well it could be a match saver yeah the forest game this other season was um was that was a hard game uh enjoyable game you know good atmosphere um early on in the season um i thought at already then when we won the two one um with the team we had you know young few players who hadn't played that many championship games to learn go away at forest which is a tough place to go um and to win two one was just unbelievable and even after the respawn game and stuff but you had a good feeling about this team um young hungry and everything so yeah it's like i said that i think the start of the season set us up nicely with the with the points we got piercings ball over the top for selenki to get in the channel great pace from dom selenki to get there in the penalty hole of course andrews burping him nil Bournemouth won it was bouncing just before him sad footage over the top and dominic just used his pace he got away from the set up and kept his composure hard and low into the far post great goal stanice lass says the cherry looks for the second goal that would surely put this game to bed and it comes driven to the back post where ipson rossy's pulled away got it back in and i tell you doesn't deserve it but what he's produced over the last few weeks fantastic moment for the youngster fires it into the top corner the cherries are on for their sick successive win here and it's one of the star men one of the star young men jaden antony it was planned chris if you see just before junior takes the set piece ipson rossy goes over to junior and tells him to do something ipson rossy pulls up the back post someone blocks him heads it back and jaden antony is there to pick up the pieces and hopefully fire home the win i say still to this day i haven't recreated that feeling um it was i felt like a long time coming obviously i had a disallowed one against some on forest and then yeah no um it was a special day and yeah and i couldn't really put into words how that felt stanice lass her was the challenge of husband he's got two to his left but he goes to his right and selenki edge of the box dom selenki looking for a shooting charge and two for the season and stanice lass he was on the ball he done all the hard work having said that it was still a cute angle to score from but the way dom feels at the moment he loves finding that far post in in the corner of the net fantastic start and now terry's on the move again marcona's right hand side clips across indefacted have a step over to back for nil well marcona's he's in such credit i thought but he played him a bit wide but he got his foot underneath it and just clipped it over the first centre half dom and nicole was making the run fantastic flick head just into the bottom corner keep him doing nothing about it luke garbett then to swing this one in for the right touch line for brackport the first hit was a cherry's one it's back off the the cherry's got the first cut we've played 12 minutes of the second half it's paul muth two brack once again it's john jewels who knocks it in behind him some rossy just caught ball watching for a second there it's half a claim for a penalty oh the referees give paul muth from two nil and cruising could now be pegged back to two two by brackport's top man after a great start to the campaign hopes were high for the carabao cup second round tie against norwich unfortunately the cherries were beaten convincingly at caro road however with a draw in their next game away at whole city paul muth ended august undefeated in the league start to the season was uh was a remarkable one really brilliant start unbeaten and real solid opening game of the season against a very good comparative west brom side who had just come out of the premier league and we was very young i think that day was a very young squad on the bench as well and and then like you said to go for august with the points we accumulated was um was very pleasing and very promising really the cherries looked to continue their unbeaten run into september and the month started off in spectacular fashion with a young left back scoring his first professional goals for the club down the right linking up with smith back to brooks in field now edge of the box lovely touch from selenki back to brooks he thinks about shooting lays it off to jade nanti jordan samura is there once and then twice as well he finds field building left side of the box early cross in from billing full stretch goalkeepers built it selenki and then at the start of the second bottom of two barnsley nil and for jordan samura what a day a day that i will never forget for sure my first professional goals first goal jaden's still fuming about it that he didn't get an assist for it but you know good play from brooksie down the right then yeah into dom back to brooksie into jay and then straight on the underlap shot straight away got ricocheted lucky enough it just happened to fall right to my feet which was um it's perfect so yeah i still think right now i think wow what are the chances that it just literally land like right in front of me again and yeah and for where do i begin that second goal so i'm some say i should have been awarded puss gas goal of the goal of the year to be fair but no i'm joking um now honestly what i um yeah it was a good good like goal for myself personally just to show like i think the fans what i think the fans i think the management knew what i was capable of but just my desire to run with the ball and um beat players and then a very cool calm collected finish so yeah and i remember that celebration the emotions was just amazing and yeah there was a great day and we won so it's another plus three point given away by qpr here's jade and antony into the box jaden antony flies the far corner in out of nowhere for the have the lead against qpr they've been up against it in the opening 10 minutes but a howler on their edge of their own box from the visitors and it gives jade and antony his second form of goal the cherries two keep the cherries one keep your nail back in field to brooks brooks turns away from trouble to the edge of the d lays it off to dominik selenki's got jaden antony to his left antony back to selenki the birthday boy gets a birthday goal and dominik selenki just can't stop finding the back of the net five in his last five number six for the season and bomb of double their lead the cherries two qpr nil looking pretty nice in the table his chair will look edge of the d for qpr pulls the trigger early deflects out to the left hand side mcallum with the ball into the box still mcallum deflected it's pass mark travers and qpr are back in the game mcallum with the goal it's bomb of two qpr one he'll forward from the back down this near right hand side adam smith does well in field he's towards the edge of the d now he's got billing to his left here is field billing billing shoots he finds the bottom corner got to fill bill he's looking for the bottom corner and my didn't he find it trying christie over the top cross to take it again they take it short the cherries here two on one opportunity and now antony back to the top of the box jordan zamura then antony again christie desperately hanging on left side try to stay on side which he's managed to do right christie in it comes to all selenki with a header short corner again taken by lutan taken to jordan clark to the top of the box and cornyc who takes a touch outside the d flicked in by naysmith headed clear by billing then lerman and selenki will combine they should have combined to clear but selenki miscued his clearance and now a chance inside right for berry will try and flash it across goal he's marked travers is hurt in the build up but is it flashed across the six yard box it looked like the last touch came off loy kelly and lutan have got the goal they've been threatening with 26 minutes remaining cherries to look one the cherries went close multiple times against peter brah but unfortunately never found the breakthrough with the game finishing in a nil-nil draw however scott park aside finished september with four wins out of five and still undefeated climbing up to second in the table only off the top by virtue of goal difference october started with a visit from newly relegated cheffield united the game would prove a tough test for scott parker and his men as they would have to come from a goal behind for the first time this season against selenki chases down hoping that olsson might make a full touch but the goalkeeper this time is solid in his clearance down the field over the head of kelly bounces on for billy sharp now right side of the penalty area now up against samura and he squares it for the old russian for mcmill cheffield united one the cherries look over the top for selenki davis here can he get in his stride dom selenki the game against cheffield united was was a big one to be fair i think um we had a long unbeaten run at the start of the season and was flour of confidence and i we hadn't really been been through too much but then obviously that game came and we went behind but um we saw quite quickly we turned it around and that showed all the character cheffield united was um was a big moment really because it was a moment that we um first time that we've obviously gone a go down um and the reaction of the team to then come back um and get ourselves back into the game plan again against the a very good side and a real test for us on the day i remember the weather not being too great back end of the of the second half and um yeah so philip billins goal to to win the game for us was was pleasing like i said against a very good side it was probably our toughest game to date and it was a big challenge for us so they're a good side on the day and i'm very pleased to to come back after after going to go down as well at seven minutes on the watch here at ashton gates the cherries fans chart the david brooksong and ashton gates joins in to ryan christy on this near right side for the cherries is stacey hering on outside him jack stacey has it right corner of the penalty which is towards jimelle low and jimelle what a finish from the jamaican international stacey with the assist and jimelle low silences ashton gates the former swansy man on target across the m4 it's form of leading bristol city by a goal to know and then christy with a big switch out to the left where selanke and zamura are there selanke had a little look to his left realized zamura was there and left it to him here is jordan zamura they'll step over into the area zamura might shoot from there he does shoot from there and jordan zamura smashed it into the roof of the net at a cute angle but once again there's in bob win found the top of the goal is third of the season and the cherries just before halftime have doubled their lead to two down leading up into the bristol game when everyone found out the news it was it was i think it when we found out the news it hit us because obviously we're so close here and we support everyone and um we have that kind of emotional attachment to that so when we when we did find that out it was it was tough but at the same time we i think everyone kind of used that into the into going into the game and when it when it when they started clapping um i kind of looked around and it was it was it was an amazing moment and i'm sure bruxy appreciated it at the time as well um obviously when jam scored we've done that little celebration for bruxy and i know it means a lot for him in that moment it was just a message of we're here for you um no matter what we're here for everyone in the team um that's that's not questionable everyone knows that we we back each other and and support each other in any way possible left foot still want to go keeper and turned in by doc christy shot couldn't be held by the worst man adam davis and dom salanki poaches the goal his eighth league goal of the season and the cherries have at last lit up the bet 365 stadium by taking the lead on 51 minutes yeah great anticipation by dominic but you have to say brian christy who is the instigator one touch two touches to the side fires it hard and low bounces just before the keeper always difficult off his chest and dom's there for a tapping over the inside left hander now fed by kelly he goes down as the challenge came in from turton and paul muth had got themselves a spot kick here comes dom salanki sends the keeper the right as christy knocks it in towards billy knocks it down for dom salanki out to the left hand side of the penalty and so he feeds ryan christy down christy's ball towards the back post this time it's mine yeah i think i'm obviously at the start of the season i wanted to just score as many goals as i could um then they kept building up hiring how i was just taking it in fires really 5 10 15 and so on and i'm playing with field this season has been been amazing for me i think um he's definitely supported me in many ways um he's hardworking just like me and and he's got a lot of quality and i think um that showed if the i don't know how many assists he's got for me now but um yeah i'm thankful for for all of those those assists that he's got me and helped me get the scores cherry's awaited to take this corner over on the far left side which is going to be delivered by jane nansony loy kelly lurking at the back post ready for this one i've brought everybody back it goes deep to gary cahill coming in behind and they're heading down in the time in the league this season cahill gets the assist and salanki piled in the defenders on the line couldn't stop it knocked it into the roof of the net themselves but salanki gets the goal two minutes before halftime well that was excellent chris set play one from the training ground they've worked on that bolted a far post cahill heads it back perfectly across goal dominix 380 get another goal and now jumelle low left side of the penalty area for the cherries here lo goes for the corner and jumelle short of the hour they're marked at the top of the championship looks like it's going to continue jumelle low minutes after coming off the bench finds the bottom corner his second goal in cherries colors it's ready nil form of two two minutes about in time to play and it comes from swift the glancing hitter goal was a brilliant save by travers to preserve that clean sheet as the glancing hitter was there aiming for the bottom right corner travers took a couple of steps scrambling across his line and threw himself to preserve that start out start the season was was a great start to get into the team for one and then yeah to keep my position and and start so well with you know with clean sheets and stuff was great um a great confidence boost for me and gave me that chance to grow in the team and and um you know I was trying to show what I could do and give to the team which was you know grateful for the manager for trust me and obviously um birching guys for working so hard on me in preseason check the whole season and push me to to where they think I can get start the season was almost too good to be true um you know we at one point I was thinking like I'm beating red I'm beating wrong was never going to end and everyone kind of kept telling me though the the nature of the league it's it's never going to be that easy and um yeah it ends up going going right down to the to the wire but um yeah you probably look back at it and think you wouldn't have it any other way the start we got got off to was was incredible did I expect us to to go and beat and for as long as we did in this division with in terms of the dynamics of us maybe not that was it was um I didn't expect that and that's not me um being negative anyway it was it's a tough league and I knew the challenges so for us to do what we was doing was um was was pretty special in that sense really and I was pleased that we could continue where we were going at that moment in time really at the end of October Bournemouth had gone three months without a loss and was sitting pretty on top of the table five points clear of Fulham in second unfortunately all good things had to come to an end and Bournemouth's first loss would come at home to Preston North End here's Reese now Maguire out towards this right hand side picked up by Bart Cazen level the end of the penalty whipped into all the penalties and smashed you could certainly say Bournemouth haven't been at their best and Preston have broken and it comes towards you to the penalty looking for Solanke who turns his man on this occasion Pearson wants it laid off instead it goes for Stacey who wound up for a shot and then pulled out of the last minute just outside the penalty area Stacey still has it trying to go around the outside here Jack Stacey low crossing it runs for Field Billing it goes past one and it's left we'll get we'll load the tactician to keep an eye on that but Preston move forward coming forward comes back I think Preston was was definitely a game that probably the team were probably felt invincible at that moment really didn't feel had never felt a loss probably and never felt any real adversity and the way the game was it was a game that really I didn't expect us to to lose get back into the game and go level up after they go one nil up so yeah I think that was a big moment I think it was a big psychological moment for the team as well and I think it probably had a bigger psychological effect and because of what we've done previous to that that one defeat was probably a bit more than a jab to the head for us really because obviously we were just so used to winning and and doing what we was doing the Swansea game was a tough one the first 20 minutes they came out really sharp and it was a bit shock to really but yeah we managed to turn the game around and yeah I had a yeah nice nice goal from from Leafs Cross which is probably one of my favorites this season yeah it was everything to be honest I found myself before the game Tuesday reflecting on on the journey and stuff leading up to that day and obviously coming back against Swansea at the time was was a massive achievement for myself as well and my family so that was up there one of the highlights of my career at the moment and yeah it was amazing prepare to deliver this next corner flashed in right into the crossbar and the set piece comes good a close range header from Jason Knight beyond his Irish teammate Mark Jammers the defender we don't see it very often Matt the defender takes the goal kick yes this strange how this killer Roosa stood on it what a mess is there a chance for the cherry Salanki here's Ryan Christie on to goal saved by Roos they're off the line from Anthony still David Anthony there's the equalizer third time of asking and Derby have dug themselves a hole as if it hadn't been dug for them this week already a terrible goal kick routine they tried a couple of times through Christie and Anthony and it came back to jade and Anthony who made no mistake second time around here come the cherries down the middle Jefferson Lerman fridge in Dominic Salanki and Roos is beaten for a second time and as the cherries top scorer again picked up again by Kilkenny spacey a bit of a hot potato trying to get rid of it quickly and now Kazim riches to the left and here's Tom Lawrence inside the penalty era Lawrence tries to bend one and the cherries just didn't clear their lines as they needed to here come Derby again down the left hand side now treading it in behind opportunities that might be a penalty reference and a look at it back can they now get themselves in front Lawrence against Travers left arm up in the air delivers right footed towards Cahill at the back post wins the header down drops to the feeder Jefferson Lerman still inside the box surrounded by blue shirts back out to Stacy cross towards the back post Salanki is there and Dominic Salanki pokes it home and Bournemouth do find the breakthrough just before the break Salanki on the money again for the cherries there goes the bow and arrow celebration bull's eye Millwall Neil Bournemouth won there's a ball over the top Benekofobi in behind Gary Cahill still a phobie slots it past Mark Travers sucker punch level up in the den one one with the cherries former Bournemouth striker Benekofobi with the goal Ryan Christie gets caught very late play on says a referee advantage Jaden Anthony down the left Anthony back onto his right foot whips across in towards the back bounces out to Steve Cook edge of the area Bournemouth recycle the play to the left down this near side Jaden Anthony back onto his right foot crosses early that's in swinging everyone stays forward for commentary Kelly through the legs of Leaf Davis still Kelly to the byline across the face of goal Travers with the touch sent goalwards and sent here can the cherries hold on from the edge of the area here's Kane again with the cross it's over there with a set of indifferent results throughout November Bournemouth had dropped down to second behind Fulham and the battle for top spot would come to a head as the two sides clashed at the start of December square ball to Billing Anthony's wide right he goes for Stacey instead gets it all wrong the passes behind Stacey now Kobano look on flying forward through the middle finds Mitrovich to the left in stuff from the cherries captain unbelievable fantastic blocks absolutely saving the goal from being scored 45 huge minutes coming up for the cherries will we have a winner nil nil away Fulham as a referee restarts the second half Salanki inside the box exactly the same sequence of passes and then the last one they tried to put Salanki in and he's unbelievable what a goal what a start righty finds Harry Wilson pulls it back to decode over read right edge of the box marked closely by Adam Smith space for Kearney curls on towards the back post Mitrovich the Fulham game as you felt it was a massive game two teams who was clear goal was kept emotion and yeah and Steve cooks double block was was unbelievably he was doing my job for me which was which was class for them yes mom was like that that's sort of defined a season that helped us get a point that night which was which was huge come the end of the season yeah the kickoff in Fulham was amazing and to see it succeed in the game was an amazing feeling I think everyone went crazy on the pitch it's been ridiculous to see how many other teams that have they have tried to do it in Spain I've seen at least three or four teams that have tried to do it and recently Real Madrid in the Champions League to see come off was just unbelievable I like I had a feeling but I didn't actually think oh we're gonna score straight from kickoff so yeah but we even did our reading away in the season we were close as well but to see it work was unbelievable man that worked an absolute tee really I mean to execute the way executed the players full credit to the players well see as well and to then go and execute like we did every single movement every bit of time in it was perfect it reminded me of like the NFL you know them NFL like runs what and everything just fell into place and then Dominic Solankey to to smash it in the next two fixtures resulted in defeat to Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough but the Chalice ended the year on a high with two positive results the first of which would come away at QPR the players hovering around the penalty spot how they make their move and it comes it's flicked goal it's a brilliant header and Dominic Solankey makes some ends for his earlier miss he's 18th championship goal of the season and Sene Dieck just had to watch him fly past his left shoulder he whipped it that was Solankey who had so much to do leaning back just flicking it towards the far post Stacey takes quickly Solankey was the brightest and chase it down nicely in the space towards the corner flag Dom Solankey now attacking the penalty area right hand side into the feet of Ryan Christie it went for goal AFC Bournemouth finished the year back at the top of the league but had played two more games than promotion rivals Fulham the first game of the new year was an FA cup fixture against Joval town at Hewish Park it finishes and Bournemouth lead by two goals my first hat-trick in Joval was was special for me and a big moment for for this season and yeah something I have been been working hard on my finishing this season I think I've been having a good season with my with my body and I've been able to have a lot of training session and do a lot of extra finishings after training so for that game it was like big thing for me because it was like finishing that we have been training with the coaches Gary O'Neill we have been we've just been training that over the top where mebsi played played it into me and so it was it was lovely to see what you do on the training pitch is actually paying off in the game Frohman has taken my bree back to the right side of the box and Panzee's ball into the box glanced on by Bradley and now a chance for Anabio Travis is there and Lloyd Kelly you can't believe it for the second time this season has scored an own goal against Luton Campbell now through the middle for Luton from midfield she's low although that's a great strike there's absolutely no doubt about that one from Alan Campbell the hard-working Stacey has won it back and then Anabio is pressing back in the challenger on the far side but Stacey's wriggle between two of them great run this from Jack Stacey and across to Mark Ondes who scores again made by some brilliance from Jack Stacey on the right hand side who went past two Luton players teased it on a sixpence for every Mark Ondes to head home and ball with a right back in this one just six minutes into the second half Luton two form with one up towards the halfway line Mark Ondes now some room for Christie who played a blind ball but still manages to get it beyond the Maree Bell Stacey's coming off here's Jamal Lowe now Stacey outside him Jamal Lowe into the period pulls him out of Morgan Rogers and Morgan Rogers off the bench makes an immediate impact the Manchester City lorry who has waited for it all to click in a Bournemouth shirt has found his time here at Kenilworth Road as he lasses in the equaliser Bournemouth from two down back to two two now the right hand side for Brie to pull a ball in teases one to the back post Oh the penalty shot there with the referee waves away Cal Naysmith tries to shoot turns on to his right foot probably the best player on the pitch have pinched the points at the end Luton three yeah Luton scoring in in the last last minute of the game was was awful and a horrible feeling and I remember we were like pushed down in the last couple of minutes and I just I remember I was just saying it then they shouldn't get get the goal and I was trying to do everything for them not to score and I still think back now that that Luton game was if we got one point it would have been more comfortable the last couple of games but um yeah that's that's the ups and downs in in in the season we had some late winners as well so yeah that's like give and take I think I guess despite all of Bournemouth's chances it was another disappointing result against Hull City with the Tigers scoring the only goal and taking all three points on the day the Cherries were able to bounce back with a win away at Oakwell partly thanks to a mistake from Barnsley keeper Bradley Collins a horror show at the back from Barnsley Collins a long way out of his box got nowhere near the ball slanky with the ball in a high one from the right hand side Billing high above it to not it past Brad Collins who scrambled his way back to the goal line but couldn't keep it out Bill Billing with his ninth to the season Barnsley now Bournemouth won at the end of January the Cherries dropped a third behind Blackburn Rovers but still had a game in hand Scott Parker moved to strengthen the squad on deadline day with a record five new signings coming into the club that day yeah it was a busy day definitely a busy day I think we put ourselves in a position at that moment in January to to feel that certainly if we can go and strengthen a little bit here we put ourselves in a very good position to to try and get promoted this year a lot of players in which is sometimes difficult I think that's that's been proven a little bit but pleased that that we managed to get get the players we did to help us and yeah and push us through to the end really the month didn't get off to a great start and Bournemouth's FA Cup run was ended early by a disappointing loss to National League side Bournemouth in front of Bournemouth Salancki can get his head up Salancki rolls it to Billing and Christie heads of the box knocks it in Salin comes over and becomes puts himself as the tower in between the two uh Lerner there was a bit of a bit of the context of the game well leading 2-0 that was right over in the bar no chance I mean and the push afterwards was nothing more than a coming together this game has certainly been livened up by that sending off of Jefferson Lerner in it comes from Jordan Graham the header away this time from Salancki on his first stung it and then whipped him to the penalty the form of two with 10 men yeah to get my 20th goal was was amazing I think um that was definitely a minimum um goals I wanted to hit at the start of the season so I was definitely happy to get that especially um quite a while before the season ended so I had some space to to get some more so um yeah like I said I was just happy to get the amount of goals I did did this season retrieved still plenty of bodies forward oh there's a big appeal and it's a penalty penalty is given midway point in this first half Gabriel can't believe it looking at it again it's a decent ball in it's half defended it's a clear push isn't it I'm sure dancing along his line the little stutter oh it's a great save it's a poor penalty but it's a huge save for black ball Salancki will be disappointed with himself well when they go in you look good as a penalty taker when they don't you look a bit foolish and they come down this left hand side Connelly actually done Hamilton his bowler oh goodness me gracious me what a hit well this man knows how to score against the top teams in the championship two against Fulham earlier this season now against Bournemouth that is a beauty Bournemouth have won the last two league games but lost two of the last four in all competitions rough against it today his bowler oh brilliant save Travers again to the rescue for Bournemouth we've got bodies forward look at all those green shirts in and around the box it's time to twist the Scott Parker side it's come loose oh there it is there's the equalizer and it's the substitute Jamal low who gets there first it's third league goal of the season his first since October it's just a ball into the box isn't it it's a hopeful ball but it found the feet via a deflection green shirts committed forward opportunity here if they can work it well here's Dembele Dembele to win it for a bit Seriki Dembele what a time to score your first cherry's goal what a big goal that could be in the championship promotion hunt it's a cool finish the overload was on he could have squared it he went for goal and that is a superb finish from Dembele yeah the blackpour was was a huge game for us to as I say was to get that to one win in the end was was a great and especially last minute I think that really bonds the team and and gives you that extra push to go into the next few weeks when you can turn you know when you're 1-0 down and turn it into a 2-1 win so late on it was a massive boost for for everyone and gave us that sort of confidence going to next one of games on a high and when Dembs got the winner I think you know it was such a buzz and and really gives you that boost going into next few weeks the touch cut out by Callie but that's poor given to Powell and Jacob Brown could be in here Smith wonderful goal he struck that beautifully well there's a goal to upset the apple cart it's Tommy Smith's first goal since scoring here in the win last season Fox running to trouble and uh having lost it he lunged into try and retrieve it and he's shown a straight red card quizzical look on the face of Morgan Fox but he is given his marching orders well that is one to be debated and Wells free kick in towards Kelly and pounced on by Solanke Eliza for Bournemouth to change the mood and there is still time for Bournemouth to go on and try and get another one Capwell's free kick headed back across goal by Kelly and Solanke was never going to miss that Capwell Emiliano Zamora goes out of Liam Moore Solanke got his feet yeah it was great to finish February 4th and the matches and the show the support from the fans was was great and to show that they were voting for me was was a great honor and yeah Tank was able to contribute and help out with some saves and yeah it gave me great confidence boots gone into the last few months of the season at the end of February Bournemouth had climbed back up to second position with a healthy number of games in hand over third-placed Huddersfield moving into March the four game win streak unfortunately came to an end away at Preston with a 2-1 defeat but the Cherries looked to get back on track when Peterborough came to Vitality Stadium the ball over on the far side with Peterborough at the moment with Joe Ward into the edge of the box it comes it runs loose for Marriott wins that tussle with Clark Harris Solanke lays off and now Ryan Christie's on the move heading towards the penalty area Christie onto a stronger left foot she's never since he misses on through I don't know he does four off take finish hard and low down to the keeper's left just found that the pocket Zamora left side of the box now Cherries they got it dead man in field it was a desperate challenge by Ince runs to Solanke top of the box might be a good thing it took about seven to get his the ball into Solanke he's calm as you like hard and low to the goalkeeper's right Stacey threads it down this right hand side for Jefferson Lerner I'm enjoying seeing Lerner in a more forward thinking role he locks it into Solanke again Ryan Christie's there but Solanke runs away pulls it back to the penalty spot here's Cantwell lets it go for Christie that's his left hand and kept out Ryan Christie's effort a year done he feeds Ince right corner of the penalty area it swaps one into a very dangerous area and never since defending if he I mean if he misses it then another readying corner over on the far side whips it again another good delivery Phillips climbs high only to his powers into the area few passes going this down the right now into the penalty every Bournemouth down the right hand across the first goal Anthony finishes it the championship it's Jaden Anthony with his eighth goal of the season it was a brilliant ball down the right side of the box it went across goal and from about six yards out Jaden Anthony slipped it past Lee Nichols and Cherry's lead here it's one nil into the middle now Lewis Cook lets it run across his body and he's middle of the Huddersfield half touch evades him and now it's Lerner tries to play one two Solanke in the penalty area side gets saved by Nichols and towards the edge of the box it's bouncing around Lerner shoots Lerner scores from Scott Parker Solanke was put through the Nichols came out to meet him it was really well saved but the ball just bounced towards the edge of the box and Lerner just hit it not a lot of power with his left foot and it's just rolled into the far left corner willow and Cherry's lead two nil inside the first half and out here Anthony now up against Turton towards the left corner of the penalty area Zamora is overlapping Billing pulls it back Solanke with the flick and it's three nil what a start in the second half Bournemouth have surely wrapped it up it's done Solanke's 24th of the season inside the first minute of the second half Cherry's lead is Huddersfield nil Bournemouth three I think as a squad we've always we've always turned up in the big games we knew it was a big one they were quite close to us at the time and yeah and I think everyone was rolled up for it before the game and you know it's just a big performance from the squad to a man we all worked our socks off and you know especially yeah Huddersfield away was was was the first really really big game of the season I think going into it basically we we had to win that game and I think me and then most of the players did feel that pressure that day but yeah it was a great great result and great performance and I think when we've we've had to go into games really needing the win I think we've always showed up and and come through it Huddersfield was a big moment really it was the first time probably the team was going into the game and it was the first time I felt that it was a it was a bit of a must win and they were chasing us down a little bit and they were doing very very well we was coming out of a bit of a rough patch we were we were stumbling along a little bit nothing too drastic but certainly it was a big game and yeah you know I think in terms of performance the way we executed the way the team played was the first time probably in the season that I started to look at this group although I knew what they were and I knew how they react to certain things it was a first time I come away from thinking you know when when this group need to need to get a result or you need a performance they're showing they're showing traits that they can do that really and Huddersfield was the first time for me as a coach to that I realized that along with the performance which was brilliant with Bournemouth in second position and with a six-point gap to Luton in third the end of March looked positive for the Cherries a jam packed April was just around the corner and with eight teams to face there certainly wouldn't be any letter it went behind for a corner from the left hand side here for who this is the Robbins to be delivered by James in towards the sixth shot box Bristol City get ahead and have conceded here to Bristol City and then 1400 travelling support made the short journey and it go wild one nil city now Salanki's gone down off the ball closer involved this time closer was the closest I didn't see exactly what happened there we just saw Salanki on the deck so there's obviously a bit going on here willow the ball comes into Salanki again he's trying to hold off closer now in the box Salanki goes to the ground that's a pretty strong pressure lost his balance now here's Jordan Zamora back in Salanki and much needed equalizer run this time to shoot now Zamora cherries slightly forced away from goal here with a couple of those shooting opportunities having passed then Bele goes put he added four minutes three ones of Orman here's Conway right side of the penalty area here bearing down on goal no one coming to meet him at the moment Conway drives it in now the cherries will have a nervy couple of minutes of added time unnecessarily so obviously I said in a lot of my interviews I want to try and score more goals I really believe that they're in there somewhere I just need to try and trust myself a bit more and shoot but now again that's a another milestone of the season coming back from an injury and getting a goal getting your first star and stuff like that so it's all a part of the process and hoping to score a few more the next three games didn't go to script with the cherries unable to muster a victory against West Brom Sheffield United or Middlesbrough but the team returned to winning ways with an away trip to Coventry City he's back to Tete right side of the penalty area now Wilson again hugging the touch line whips one in towards Mitchamitch you get the header down that's a brilliant save from Travers he was almost behind the line somehow Mark Travers but we're just seeing a replay now willow it's very very close that's not all of the ball that is very very close willow there seems to be part of the ball that's in line with the post it's got to be all the ball over the line Travers waves everybody forward there are some fans leaving here as Travers launches it long 40 seconds on the watch cherries one behind to Fulham closest rivals forest of one here they come with Adam Smith left side of the penalty area goes down oh my god well it's Harry Wilson willow who's given away the penalty as he came sweeping in with the challenge on Adam Smith who checks back I think it's a penalty that he's kicked his leg yeah it looks like he's took his legs have no problem with that I'm just worried about Dom Adam Smith on the halfway line can barely watch it could be a massive point for the cherries in the promotion race if Salanki can beat Marik Rodak away to our left the north stand hold their breath Salanki puffs out his chest approaches the ball right foot in and scores the penalty at the end of the Fulham game was was a crazy one uh probably one of the the biggest moments um of my career in that sense of uh pressure but um yeah especially with with how long I had to wait but uh outside to keep my call I knew it was basically the last kick of the game and it would have been a massive point so um yeah I just just called myself down and got it done not in a million years I was going to take that penalty in no way um to be fair I said to Dom after I was like that's that's unbelievable that he took that penalty in the last second that the pressure that he must have been feeling was immense um I couldn't even watch the penalty so I let alone take it myself um yeah yeah it was it was unbelievable that he had the the ability to do that in the last seconds of the game got a long way back into this game and here goes Piru over the halfway line looking for Oberfemi through the centre here Oberfemi's got options to his right it's Cyrus Christie chance to shoot and they've been stoned on the counter Cyrus Christie lashes him into the roof of the net 19 to play cherry's looking for some sort of leg up into this game three nil behind seeing their gap a row to two points in it comes from Anthony headed home from close range and Bournemouth have got a goal and it is key for more drowning out the booze of the Swansea City supporters when he came on who scores for the first time in Bournemouth Colours Anthony right side of the box that's going to be too heavy is it for Laird just about managers to get there and win a corner cherry's a screaming for a handball and it's a penalty on the advice of the assistant on the far side the cross from Laird has been handled by a Swansea defender and initially he gave a corner he's now given a penalty to Bournemouth as we see Laird's crossed and it's a penalty willow the defender has slid in with his arms up his arms above his head a good spot from the defence by Ryan Manning away to our left in front of the cherry supporters to give them hope with 10 minutes remaining currently Swansea Bournemouth 3-1 Salanqui to reduce their areas to 3-2 again takes his time up against Andy Fischer same corner same result Salanqui scores Swansea 3 Bournemouth 2 Can we squeeze a point out of this from giving ourselves a chance 10 minutes plus injury time great composure from Dominic wasn't it out to this near side and Lloyd Kelly again all eyes on James Linnington the fourth official's board in a moment as Brady swings a ball into the six hour box what a save the rebound has got him in it the former Cardiff man silences Swansea silences South Wales with two in a Bournemouth shirt on his return from injury and Swansea from three up have been pegged back what another twist in this promotion race unbelievable 3-3 the Swansea game was was meant to be fair you know to even really make myself available for that as I had a setback just before that and I've trained one day so to be available for that game I was I was buzzing especially being against an old rival so yeah but to have the impact I had on that day was was amazing and and you know I thought it was just a combination of all the hard work I've put in through my rehab you look back at it now and think of it as a massive point but you know like you said we were desperate to to get all three points on the night and you find yourself 3-0 down with 20 minutes to go and you know you're scared for what the outcome is going to be but yeah an incredible night we didn't really get to celebrate it too much because it was straight on to Saturday obviously but yeah it was probably the the big start of Kiefer's reign that night was another there's more evidence of this team in terms of never giving up and this team showing real character great mentality and obviously first time really Kiefer and after coming to the football club and been out injured with his foot really at the first time we'd seen him back and I mean one impact it comes on two goals and to be honest should be a pretty remarkable we get back in the game there at 3-3 and really at times probably lookal you could have won the game really so again that was a big result for us it wouldn't have been a result and we wanted to have lost the game at that moment in the season it's about momentum it's about it's about picking up results and keeping the team's morale and and mindset in a good place and certainly although we wanted to win the game it felt like probably a win considering where we were and it kept us on track to to see out the the remaining part but I have to say my initial thought was he's offside there's no chance of seeing that again so we'll have to wait for this evening for who cares we'll one open that's all that matters so now Ryan Christie down this right hand side his back bone throw bodies forward needing to get something from the game Christie switches it to the left and Dembele not a great first touch tried to her to the challenge of Van Heck referee plays the advantage Van Heck should have been booked Solanke in the box here for the cherries square to Billy yes the cherries a giant step towards the Premier League his tenth goal of the season into double fingers for the first time in his career and it's a huge goal in the context of this promotion race form of two clear lumbar down the center here for Blackburn for the cherries Dembele's nicked it back and Dembele goes past his man and he'll still believe for another and there and the cherries now will take it back to the vitality stadium with their two attempts to try and book promotion back to the Premier League their work on the road is done they lead by three goals to know at the end of April promotion was tantalizingly close for Bournemouth a victory against Nottingham Forest was all that separated them from a return to the top flight the forest game was a was a the climax game it was the it was the end one where we needed to win the game to get the job done which we all set out when i stepped foot in this building and the first thing i had with this group of players was there was one goal and that was we want to try and get promoted we want to become a Premier League football club you know i want i want them to become Premier League football players and that that has been hard work hard graft and at the end of it in in in one game against Nottingham Forest we had the opportunity to do that the feeling around the game was was massive for both teams but i just felt like there was no point thinking too much into it i just needed to play play my game and and stick to what we do and we done that so it was amazing we knew it was a big game we had a big performance against Blackburn just before so it was all feeling quite confident and we knew on our day we we can beat anyone so yeah we just we just knew we had to work our socks off and it was a big opportunity for us and you know it was an exciting time i was nervous um i always have a little bit little bit nervous before most games and stuff but yeah i was trying to sleep throughout the day leading up to a game and i couldn't really sleep at all so i think it was more excitement and stuff and the gaffer touched on that before the game just how excited he was for us and he's got to try and enjoy the moment can the cherries though seal it tonight when everybody here has come for nine minutes to play over on the left christie waiting on the edge of the penalty area here's jordan samura going past to almost descends across the vitality stadium descends across paulmouth and probably descends across nottingham as well as phil billing stands over this free kick for paulmouth a yard outside the penalty area as we look away to our right forest they've got about an eight man wall ryan christie's there too as the decoy but phil billing who scored two on saturday has got an opportunity here from the set play billing left footed it's a tiki one square on this sub and he could win his promotion there's all sorts of substitutes getting ready to come on for unbelievable stuff the pitch completely covered in supporters now everybody's so happy what a sight the free kick um it was it was just completely off the cuff um so i saw phil about to take his shot um saw how the wall lined up i distanced myself uh just so i had a more of an angle um and then yes we we pretty much just locked eyes he saw how much space i had i was i was surprised by the space i had um and i was quietly shouting phil phil give it give me the ball and then um yeah he slipped me in and i've i've just done the rest you know the free kick was literally we're not worked on that at all it was just me and kifa kind of i was stood at the ball and ryan christie actually took the ball and i kind of gave him like shoot because that's kind of his range um but i think the gaffer wanted me to take it and uh yeah i took the ball and i was kind of stood kind of like contemplating where to put the ball because i seen just a yellow wall and not a lot of space i couldn't really see the goal um but then i clocked eyes with kief kifa and he's kind of like already stepped up i said if he's going to shoot i thought i need to pass this ball um and then like i said full credit to to kifa all credit with the finish because it's a hard finish and and he kept it down low and uh he put it in and like i said he's he's already born with legend once the whistle went the pitch was swarmed with people everyone was jumping on each other and it's just yeah unbelievable moment for everyone i think uh the first person was will denis ran up to me we had a big hug in the middle of the pitch and then it just got swamped after that but um yeah i think that was just pure relief and and excitement for for us to come yeah after the game when the final whistle blew um to be like i didn't really know what to do i think everyone in the squad was just amazed of what we actually achieved and it was just so much celebration going on and the the fans running on the pitch and everyone getting together and enjoying that moment so it was it was special the celebrations after were well deserved and and rightly so these players in this group and this football club everyone related to this football club have worked tirelessly this season and all of all paid a massive massive role and part in us getting promoted this year fans as well owner every single person and um i'm pleased that we've managed to get it over the line i'm pleased that we can say now we're a we're a Premier League football club and it runs out to the left hand side of the box we're billing a little bit of a chipping charge down the left side and wins a throwing off savill who's out of position and keep him on is in one on one finish he doesn't ever so well he just gives the keep to the eyes he had Dembele just on the outside and he put a side pass to him he did the little fake and killed it past the keeper unbelievable story keep them all the feeling for for the promotion get back to the Premier League was was massive a little bit of relief i'm not going to lie i really really wanted it this year and stuff and and for the team and the staff as well there's a lot of young players in the squad and they deserve to experience the Premier League because it's it's everybody's dream so now the final whistle was everything and it was just sheer joy i've always dreamed of playing in the Premier League obviously when the club um won the Premier League before i was more so and in the academy so i didn't get the opportunity but you know um it's a special special feeling and i i can't wait to to get going already next season and um hopefully have some good terms it's crazy i think um like i said that the hard work that we've put in throughout the whole season has just been been crazy so to top it off with um promotion back to the Premier League i think it's made it really worthwhile i think it's every kid's dream and for me personally it's something that no one can ever take away from it yeah it means everything for us to to be back in the Premier League that that's where this club belongs and uh and um yeah i'm happy to be to be a part of it and i think everyone in the squad have have played a very crucial part of it and um uh yeah big squad with a lot of good players uh so many good players in in this team and yeah it's it's lovely to to say that we are all Premier League players now to be promoted to the Premier League is is amazing um i've dreamt of this moment for for many many years as as you know as a little boy and my my my big dream was to play in the Premier League and to say that i can now do that is is unbelievable um i can't wait for next season and you know see that fixture list it's it's going to be incredible