7:00am Monday 28th April 2008
By Neil Perrett
AND here comes Vokes! Some people are on the pitch! They think it's all over!"
It isn't quite.
Comparing Sam Vokes's second-half clincher for Cherries against Crewe on Saturday with Geoff Hurst's memorable late goal in the 1966 World Cup final would be verging on disrespectful.
And commentators from the south coast and south Cheshire would doubtless agree they could never hold a candle to the late, great Kenneth Wolstenholme.
However, when referee Keith Hill sounded the final whistle, there was a touch of Wembley and Gottfried Dienst about the moment.
As the curtain came down on one of the most dramatic and traumatic seasons at Dean Court, jubilant scenes greeted Cherries' sixth league win on the trot.
And although Hill appeared to have whistled for a free kick deep into four minutes of stoppage time, hundreds of home supporters streaming on to the pitch prompted the official to wisely call time on proceedings.
It is testament to the post-administration exploits of the players and management that Cherries' season is still alive. Only the most eternal of optimists could have predicted a turnaround of such biblical proportions.
Cast adrift at the foot of the table when Gerald Krasner rode into town at the start of February, the gap had widened to what appeared to be an insurmountable 14 points on the morning of Easter Monday.
But a Herculean effort from all concerned and six consecutive league wins for the first time since 1970 has reduced the deficit to a solitary point.
Vokes's 54th-minute strike, his 12th goal of the season, has set up the prospect of an enthralling and nailbiting round of final-day fixtures.
Cometh the hour, Cherries will head 350 miles north to Carlisle in an attempt to preserve their League One status by completing the final leg of this remarkable journey.
April manager-of-the-month-elect Kevin Bond will no doubt have everything crossed as he bids to avoid the dreaded curse.
"We've given ourselves a chance and that's something we're really thankful for," said Bond ahead of his 90th game in the Cherries hot-seat.
"If anybody had offered us that three months ago, we would have snapped off their hand. We've always needed other results to go our way but we haven't been able to influence that.
"It's going to be a difficult game because they need the points as well. We couldn't have picked a more difficult game but we're looking forward to it because we're grateful we've still got a chance."
Victory for Cherries in Cumbria coupled with Cheltenham failing to beat Sean O'Driscoll's Doncaster at home would see Bond's in-form charges safe.
Crewe, who entertain Oldham, are also still in the equation, which is why maximum points for Cherries against the Railwaymen were imperative.
The result, however, has left current Cherries chairman Jeff Mostyn to ponder "the most amazing dilemma on earth".
Mostyn added: "My daughter Janine is getting married in Basingstoke next Saturday. She thinks I'm going to be there but I'm trying to mobilise a cardboard cut-out to walk her down the aisle!
"My thoughts are probably not going to be on the vows but on the radio and when she says I do', I hope it means we're staying up!"
Courted by Crewe in January, Vokes bagged his first goal of the six-match winning run with a low left foot shot past goalkeeper Ben Williams nine minutes into the second half.
He latched on to an inadvertent assist from visiting defender Danny O'Donnell who headed Josh Gowling's clearance straight into his path.
After the Cherries cheerleaders had been soaked by the sprinklers during their pre-match routine, the first half was something of a damp squib.
Bond's boys handed out bouquets of flowers ahead of kick-off before Shaun Cooper's 35th-minute chance was the best of a bad bunch in a nervous opening period.
Cooper was denied by an excellent save from the agile Williams, the midfielder following up after the Crewe goalkeeper had parried Maxi Gradel's drive.
Earlier, Williams had saved somewhat theatrically from Cooper's header, while Vokes had clipped Gradel's centre narrowly over the crossbar.
As the half-time scores were broadcast at the interval, Cherries fans waited eagerly for news from Oldham where Cheltenham were trailing 1-0.
"Oldham 1 Cheltenham 1," said the Tannoy announcer before quickly correcting his mistake. A clairvoyant in the making, Cheltenham drew level just minutes later.
Their fans, however, would have been rocked by news of Vokes's goal, which came after Darren Anderton had dispatched a thunderous drive straight down Williams's throat.
Cherries goalkeeper David Forde then took centre stage when he pulled off a top-drawer save to keep out George Abbey's piledriver before a Nicky Maynard effort was ruled out for a handball during the build-up.
Maynard was a virtual spectator throughout, the in-form striker shackled by a Cherries defence which saw Gowling and Jason Pearce in commanding form.
Forde again distinguished himself by pushing Dean Morgan's fierce drive around the post as Cherries survived a heart-stopping scare two minutes from time.
Maxi Gradel was named player of the year by the Junior Cherries and the Exiles, while Neil Young was presented with a lifetime achievement award by the Junior Cherries and the upthecherries website.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisisdorset.net