4:55pm Saturday 15th November 2008
By Neil Perrett
CHERRIES’ latest attempt to finally wipe out their points deficit was emphatically sunk by a lightning three-goal blitz at Accrington Stanley today.
The rampant hosts struck three times inside the opening 20 minutes to leave Jimmy Quinn’s beleaguered troops licking their gaping wounds. Stanley skipper Paul Mullin started the rout when he fired the hosts into a third-minute lead before Terry Gornell soon added a second.
And after Rostyn Griffiths had made it 3-0 after just 20 minutes, Cherries’ long-suffering travelling supporters could have been forgiven for heading for the exit door.
New signing Michael Symes was handed his Cherries debut following his arrival on a month’s loan from Shrewsbury Town earlier this week.
The 25-year-old lined up in attack alongside Brett Pitman as boss Quinn made one change from the FA Cup win over Bristol Rovers.
Accrington’s FA Cup exploits, meanwhile, ended after they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Tranmere in a first round replay on Thursday.
But despite having little time to recover, Stanley showed no signs of fatigue and raced in to a 3-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.
Cherries made the worst possible start when they went behind to Paul Mullin’s third-minute effort, the Stanley skipper coolly slotting the ball past Shwan Jalal.
And although Pitman and Symes both tried their luck as Cherries looked for an instant response, Gornell doubled the hosts’ lead after just 13 minutes.
Gornell’s deflected shot looped over Jalal after Paul Mullin had provided the assist by outjumping the Cherries defence to flick on Kenny Arthur’s mule-like clearance.
And Cherries were left with a mountain to climb after Griffiths’s stunning strike whistled into the top corner to make it 3-0 just 20 minutes in.
Sammy Igoe and Pitman both warmed the hands of Stanley goalkeeper Arthur as the shell-shocked visitors attempted to restore some pride.
And while Darren Anderton and Symes also had noteworthy efforts on goal, Arthur watched as both opportunities flew past the woodwork.
Griffiths went close to adding a fourth at the start of the second half before Jason Pearce scooped the ball over following a frantic goalmouth scramble.
Cherries’ fruitless search for a consolation continued as Symes lifted a chance over the top from an acute angle before Jeff Goulding’s snapshot was parried by Arthur.
Cherries (3-5-2): Jalal; Guyett, Cooper, Pearce; Ward, Bartley (Hollands, 54), Anderton (Molesley, 65), Igoe, Cummings; Symes, Pitman (Goulding, 54).
Unused subs: McQuoid, Pryce (g/k).
Booked: Pitman, Hollands.
Accrington Stanley (4-4-2): Arthur; Richardson, Edwards, Charnock, King; Higginbotham (Ryan, 81), Proctor, J Mullin, Griffiths; P Mullin, Gornell (Clarke, 85).
Unused subs: Murdock, Miles, Speare (g/k).
Booked: Charnock.
Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland).
Attendance: 1,152.
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