Bournemouth Boss Kevin Bond On Yesterday

Last updated : 19 November 2006 By Thetashkentterror
Kevin Bond
Cherries manager Kevin Bond spoke to BBC Radio Solent on Saturday evening as he gave his opinion on his team's 1-0 defeat at home to United, Bond talking about the penalty decision and some injury concerns for his side :


"It was one horrendous bit of defending in the first five minutes of the game that has given them something to hang onto then it was just one way traffic for 85 minutes basically.

"It wasn't a penalty from where I was. Shaun Maher didn't think it was either but it was poor defending anyway in the first place to let him get that side of it straight from the goalkeeper. You can't allow those things to happen, you're asking for trouble if you do. They got the penalty though, and then it has given them something to hang onto and they managed to find a way, God only knows how, to hang on for the remainder of the game.

"Although they had set their stall out to play one up front, it was going to be a case of frustrating us anyway but that was even more the case once they got the goal, it gave them something to hang onto. They sat deep, left no space in front of their back four or behind it and the only route for us in the end was to try and get the ball wide, try and get the ball into Fletch (Steve Fletcher) and see if we can win one or two second balls. We had three or four teriffic chances with balls that dropped to us. Their goalkeeper played really, really well for them but it just wasn't our day.

"We played okay. In terms of our play we were by far the better side but they had something to hang on to after the fifth minute and they weren't there to entertain anyway, they were there just to contain and that is what they managed to do. They got what they set out to come here for, they achieved their objectives. We played okay, I have no problem with that, but one stupid lapse has cost us dear.

"We have been playing a certain way and it has worked quite well for us in terms of how we played in the last two or three matches and we have just continued along those lines really. Fletch was struggling with a hamstring and I didn't think he was going to be fit and all credit to him, he pulled through for the game. Darren Anderton was struggling with a groin strain but declared himself fit today, but then he tweaked it midway through the first half so we had to replace him. I can't imagine he will be training with us for a while if he has strained his groin so I think it will be a period of time that he will be out."