A warm, sunny day at the seaside preceded tonight's match at Dean Court, Bournemouth so that although cool in the evening, it was perfect conditions on a good pitch for playing football. The match set the second bottom team against the second top team. Bournemouth have encountered a number of problems of late and have had ten points deducted for going into administration. However, they seem to have hit form and last Saturday knocked four goals past Luton Town at Kenilworth Road to record a 4-1 victory. So, an important game for both clubs whose situation means that the three points are necessary to improve their positions. The Rovers turned out with the same line-up that began against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, with Adam Lockwood back from injury but on the bench. The Rovers defended the covered end of the ground in the first half.

The home team kicked off but the Rovers won the ball and attacked through Wellens down the inside right channel. His low ball into the middle found McCammon, who lost the chance by slipping on the dew covered turf. The ball was cleared out to Gareth Roberts, who crossed to the six yards line where PRICE won the heading duel and headed on goal. Stewart, in the Cherries goal, got a hand to the ball as it was going just under the bar but could only help it into the net to put the Rovers in front after 56 seconds. The Rovers had the better of the early exchanges, with the home team's first response coming after 8 minutes when Vokes and Kuffour combined to give the latter a crack at goal from 20 yards but he put wide. A fairly even ten minutes followed before good combination on the Rovers right involving Green, Coppinger and O'Connor set Stock up 12 yards out to the right of goal but he fired wide of the far post. On 21 minutes, a free kick on the Rovers right came out of the Bournemouth defence to Green but he skied the ball over the bar from 25 yards. Three minutes later and the first corner of the game came to the Rovers but nothing came of it. The home team were having a fair share of the game but were not troubling the Rovers defence too much. As the half hour approached Cooper, of Bournemouth, was booked for a foul on Green as some feeling began to creep into the game. On the half hour, a cross from the left touchline from Gareth Roberts found Price in the six yards box but the bounce beat him and allowed the keeper to collect. Then, after 37 minutes, Bartley, for the home team, attacked down the inside left channel before going down in the penalty area under challenge by Steve Roberts and Matt Mills. The crowd wanted a penalty but the referee wasn't interested. Then, five minutes from the break, the match exploded when Wellens was felled by Cooper. After a general altercation the referee yellow-carded Price and McCammon from the Rovers for their part in the melee and Cooper for the nasty tackle on Wellens. As it was Cooper's second yellow he saw the red card produced and was ordered to leave the field. The last five minutes saw the home team pressing hard for an equaliser but a corner, which was cleared, was their only reward. The break came with the Rovers going in with the lead from the early goal.

The Rovers started the second half on the attack, with Price having a shot saved and Gareth Roberts having his effort blocked. Six minutes in and Gareth Roberts chased back into his own half and under challenge by Bartley passed back to Sullivan, who only just beat the Bournemouth man to the ball and cleared. Continuing to press the homesters won a corner on their left which was headed off the line at the far post by Gareth Roberts. Another corner some minutes later came out of the Rovers defence to Bartley but his shot from 30 yards was well over the bar. The Cherries were down to nine men for several minutes up to mthe hour mark when Bradbury came off with a cut forehead. He re-appeared wiith his head swathed in bandages. Stock, for the Rovers, then put a 25 yarder wide and on 64 minutes, a cross from from the right by Coppinger was headed wide by McCammon. A good build-up by the Rovers on their right saw Coppinger cut in, with the ball coming out to Gareth Roberts, his blockbuster of a shot going just over the bar. The Rovers were now in command of the game and four minutes later, a through ball by Wellens for McCammon, who stretched to put past Stewart but the keeper blocked it. However, on 70 minutes, the Rovers increased their lead when Wellens played a great through ball through a square defensive line for PRICE to run on to and slot past Stewart. The home team tried to hit back and Kuffour had an effort from 16 yards held comfortably by Sullivan after 76 minutes. A couple of minutes later and Vokes got through on the right but fired into the side netting. This was just a brief flurry and the Rovers dominated the closing ten minutes and could easily have added to their score through Price and Gareth Roberts. But the final whistle went on a feisty match, with the three points going to the higher placed team, the Rovers. 

Teams - Bournemouth - Gareth Stewart; Josh Gowling, Russell Perrett, Shaun Cooper, Sam Vokes, Jo Kuffour, Jason Pearce, Marvin Bartley, Max-Alain Gradel, Lee Bradbury, Warren Cummings.

Subs used - Jo Tessem for Bradbury 80 mins, Brett Pitman for Kuffour 84 mins;

Subs not used - Ryan Pryce gk, Joe Partington, Josh McQuoid

Cautions - Cooper, Cooper, Perrett, Gowling,

Sent off - Cooper 40 mins 

ROVERS - Neil Sullivan; James O'Connor, Matt Mills, Steve Roberts, Gareth Roberts; James Coppinger, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Richie Wellens; Mark McCammon, Jason Price

Subs used - Lewis Guy for McCammon 73 mins; Mark Wilson for Stock 79 mins; Paul Heffernan for Price 84 mins;

Subs not used - Adam Lockwood, Sean McDaid

Cautions - Price, McCammon,