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Championship
Mar 6, 2015 at 7.45pm UK
 
Bournemouth logo

1-5

Smith (66')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Pitman (29', 61'), Ritchie (37', 71'), Cook (84')

Live Commentary: Fulham 1-5 Bournemouth - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live coverage as five-star Bournemouth thump Fulham 5-1 to move top of the Championship.
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Bournemouth have thrashed 10-man Fulham 5-1 at Craven Cottage to move top of the Championship table tonight.

Goals from Brett Pitman and Matt Ritchie helped the Cherries into a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead, before the former completed his brace on the hour mark.

Second-half substitute Matt Smith threw the Cottagers a lifeline, but Ritchie and Steve Cook, either side of Fernando Amorebieta's red card, completed the rout.

Below, relive the drama in London with Sports Mole's live commentary.


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Happy Friday, my friends, and a warm welcome to our live coverage of Bournemouth's trip to Fulham. It's the best day of the week in my view, and what a way to kick off the evening with a bit of Friday football. Whopper.

I think it was Rebecca Black who eloquently said: "Friday. Friday. Gotta get down on Friday. Everybody's looking forward to the weekend." It might be thicker than Shahid Khan's moustache, but a nice sentiment there from Becs, who has captured the beauty of Fridays. Sure where else would you rather be on a Friday night? Getting drunk with mates? That's what tomorrow is for. Actually being at the match? Maybe, but this is the next best thing surely.

Anywho, we've got full and frank team news on the way ladies and gents so stay tuned.

Fulham XI: Bettinelli, Hoogland, Bodurov, Hutchinson, Amorebieta, Parker, Tunnicliffe, Kavanagh, Ruiz, Rodallega, McCormack

Bournemouth XI: Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Arter, Surman, Pugh, Pitman, Wilson

Fulham subs: Kiraly, Stafylifdis, Smith, Fofana, Voser, Woodrow, Burn

Bournemouth subs: Camp, Smith, Ward, MacDonald, Stanislas, Kermorgant, Rantie

We'll be polite and start with the visitors, and it looks like Mr Eddie Howe makes just the one change from that 2-1 win over Wolves in midweek, as 11-goal Yann Kermorgrant drops to the bench in favour of Brett the Pitman Hart. (Brett Pitman incase you're a bit confused).

On to the Londoners now and Kit Symons makes four changes from his side's defeat at Watford on Tuesday.

Jazz Richards and Kostas Stafylidis drop out of defence in favour of Tim Hoogland and Fernando Amorebieta. Elsewhere, Scott Parker, who was rested on Tuesday, returns in place of Seko Fofana, while 10-goal Hugo Rodallega replaces Cauley Woodrow up front to partner Ross McCormack.

Having lost 1-0 to Watford in midweek, Fulham can't really afford another defeat because their league position is looking about as dodgy as Kim Kardashian's barnet #topical #hashtag #what. Kit Symons's side sit 20th in the table, just eight points clear of danger. It's a cushion, of course, but Wigan will reduce that gap to five points if they win tomorrow and the hosts lose tonight.

Who can the Cottagers look to for a bit of inspiration against the Cherries then? Well, with 10 goals apiece, Ross McCormack and Hugo Rodallega could have a big say in this one. Neither have found the net in quite a while, which is worrying, but you don't need to see a cobra strike to know it's lethal, right? The visitors' back four needs to be alert.

What about Bournemouth? Their go-to-guy has to be Callum Wilson, doesn't it? The 23-year-old has led the scoring for the Cherries in their pursuit of the Premier League, netting 15 Championship goals this season - four more than fellow striker Kermorgrant, who starts on the bench tonight. Still, Wilson is the big man on campus for them this season.

Prediction! I've been on the phone to my auntie, who happens to be Mystic Meg, and she has reliably informed me that this will end 2-2. End of discussion. Disclaimer: Neither me or auntie Megan is responsible if you leg it down the bookies and put your mortgage on 2-2.

Here come the lads then as both sets of players enter the fray to the music of Beethoven or Mozart or somebody like this. Something classical anyway...

Right we're nearing kickoff and Fulham boss Kit Symons shakes hands with a teenage boy in a Bournemouth tracksuit. Nice to see Symons respect the youth of....actually hang on that's Cherries manager Eddie Howe. Good grief. He makes Justin Bieber look like Michael Caine.

Kickoff: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off at the Cottage, my friends. Let's go. Bournemouth, playing from right to left, get us underway as they attack into the Rufus Brevett stand. *may not be called the Rufus Brevett stand*

Shot! Hasn't taken long, has it? Callum Wilson's, Bournemouth's danger man tonight, has the game's first shot, but he scuffs it and it's cleared. Just a reminder that the visitors will go top of the Championship with victory here.

Good play from Charlie Daniels as he surges forward from left-back, but his low cross is hoofed away Shaun Hutchinson. They'll have to watch Daniels, who will get up and down that wing all night if he is allowed.

Header! We spoke about Rodallega before kickoff, and the Colombian striker has just headed narrowly over the bar but Artur Boruc was never worried. He hasn't scored in 13 Championship games so he's due a goal.

Really poor from Bryan Ruiz then, as the South American looked to play in Ross McCormack down the right-hand flank but it's a hospital pass and Pugh gathers possession. Really lazy pass that.

Save!!!! This is different class from Marcus Bettinelli, who produces an outstanding save to tip over Marc Pugh's curling strike. Fantastic stop.

Fulham have the game's first corner as Rodallega releases Bryan Ruiz, whose cross is deflected out by Arter. Let's see what comes of this then...

Chance! Oh this is a chance. The initial corner comes to nothing, but the ball is fed back in to Ruiz, who floats a fantastic cross in as Fernando Amorebieta heads over from close range. The Argentine will be disappointed with that.

Shot! Really good spell from Fulham now as McCormack dances around one or two challenges before drilling a shot toward the near post, but Boruc is down well to save. Whites very much on top.

Off the line!!!! Just as I say Fulham are on top, Bournemouth go agonisingly close to opening the scoring. First, the brilliant Marc Hugh delivers a teasing ball into the box after one or two tricks but Amorebieta clears, but the ball comes back in and Ryan Tunnicliffe is on hand to slide off the line and deny Wilson. Excellent.

Fulham have done well to take the sting out of this one in recent minutes, and McCormack is just flagged offside as he races through to reach Ruiz's pass. Good decision, though.

Shot! Callum Wilson, without a goal in six games, drills a low shot straight at Bettinelli from angle and the Fulham keeper smothers well.

Shot! There's an official Championship ball outside Craven Cottage if anybody wants it. I know this because Brett Pitman has just put it there with a wild shot.

Ridiculously good cross in from Tim Hoogland as Fulham win a corner from it, but that comes to nothing as Ruiz's delivery is a bit dodgy. Still 0-0 but both sides have had chances.

Both sides should be fairly familiar with each other, having only faced off on Boxing Day in a 2-0 win for Bournemouth. Will we see a repeat of that? No because Meg says it's going to be 2-2 and I for one trust her.

Goal!!!!!!!!!!! Fulham 0-1 Bournemouth (Pitman)

We highlighted Charlie Daniels's influence a little earlier, and the left-back has fizzed in a wonderful low cross as Brett the Pitman Hart converts with a first-time finish. It has to be said that Pitman was completely free in the box. Symons will be fuming at that defending.

Fulham can't have too many complaints really. They've had one or two chances, but overall it's been a half dominated by Bournemouth so far and the Cherries are full value for their lead. It's a long road back for Fulham, whose two top goalscorers Rodallega and McCormack haven't scored in a combined 11 games I think.

We've seen very little response from Fulham it has to be said. Bournemouth continue to dominate. The game is basically as it was prior to the opener.

Goal!!!!!!!!!! Fulham 0-2 Bournemouth (Matt Ritchie)

Not good enough from Fulham, as Matt Ritchie is allowed so much space on that left-hand flank. He then cuts inside and drills a shot at Bettinelli's goal and it takes a little nick off Nikolay Bodurov I think. It seems unlucky by virtue of the deflection, but the fact is that he had an abundance of space in which to punish Fulham and he did.

Four minutes left until the break then and Eddie Howe will be delighted because his side have barely needed to reach first gear and they're already half-way toward the summit. It's a long way back for Fulham now you feel. We did say 2-2 before kickoff, though, so that's still on!

Fulham enjoying some extended spells of possession now but time is against them. It's going to be 2-0 at the break and Kit Symons needs one hell of a team talk. Maybe pop on Any Given Sunday and let Al Pacino do the talking?

One minute added on:

Half time: Fulham 0-2 Bournemouth

Boos ring around Craven Cottage as the referee brings the first half to a close. Are the boos warrante? Probably, because both of Bournemouth's goals have been preventable from a defensive perspective. The goalscorers, Pitman and Ritchie, were afforded faaaaar too much space in which to punish Fulham and they did. Fair play, but Symons needs to get his you know what together in this 15-minute break.

Restart! Aaaaaaaaaand we're back underway at Craven Cottage. There's one change to tell you about as big Matt Smith replaces Hugo Rodallega. Let's see if that change yields any sort of reward.

There seems to be a little more urgency about Fulham in this half following the introduction of Smith, but they've got a massive task on their hands to get anything from this game. They might get a little one dimensional in attack, with 6'7 Smith the obvious target man.

Some good interplay between McCormack and Ruiz there as the former floats a good cross into the box, but it drops on to the roof of the net. Good response from that shocking first half overall but, as we said, it's a big ask for them to get a draw here.

Shot!!!!! Arter blazes over the bar from outside the box. The chance came about when Wilson turned Hoogland brilliantly to go through with Bettinelli, but he tried to go around the Fulham keeper before the ball eventually found Arter, whose effort was, well, not great.

Shot! Decent effort by Bryan Ruiz as he looks to bend home from outside the box, but it's never threatening Boruc.

It should be 3-0 as Wilson shrugs off a challenge from Nikolay Bodurov before stroking past Bettinelli, but it's chalked off after the striker was adjudged to have fouled Bodurov in the build-up. It looked a very, very soft decision and one that didn't please Wilson. I'd love to be able to repeat what he told the linesman, but this is a family commentary.

Goal!!!!!!!!!! Fulham 0-3 Bournemouth (Pitman)

Oh my word what a goal this is, as Brett Pitman, restored to the starting lineup today, vindicates Eddie Howe's decision with a brilliant second goal. He runs from the halfway line before nipping in between Hutchinson and Parker before calmly slotting beyond Bettinelli. Superb.

Bournemouth fans sing "we're top of the league" - and they will be for at least another 18 hours or so. Are we seeing a promtion-winning team here? It's very possible. They've looked really, really good.

Goal!!!!!!!!! Fulham 1-3 Bournemouth (Smith)

Hang on there might just be life in Fulham as Matt Smith, who replaced Rodallega at the break, latches on to McCormack's clever reverse ball before slamming the ball past Artur Boruc. Take a bow big man. Are we seeing the foundations of a miraculous comeback? Well there's still 23 minutes left here so who knows!

Goal!!!! Fulham 1-4 Bournemouth (Matt Ritchie)

Put a fork in it, folks. Ritchie drills a low free kick past Bettinelli and that's that. The free kick came about when Fernando Amorebieta fouled Wilson as the last man and was sent off! Ritchie punished them. End of discussion.

Chance!!!!!!! Well they've only got 10 men, but Fulham would've raised a few eyebrows had they scored here - and they most definitely should have. McCormack feeds the goalscorer Smith, and he looks like he's going to just smash it home like he did before, but he takes an another touch and Boruc ultimately makes the save. Should be 4-2.

Bournemouth sub: I think this is Howe's first change as Callum Wilson, who's been excellent despite the fact he hasn't scored, is replaced by Tokelo Rantie.

This one is understandably petering out a little, with neither side all that bothered anymore I don't think. It's job done for Bournemouth, but this Fulham defence is so erratic that they might yet grab another.

The travelling fans are enjoying themselves as they 'ole' every Bournemouth pass now. Why not?

Goal!!!!!!!!!!!! Fulham 1-5 Bournemouth (Cook)

Sorry, but this is different class. Bournemouth centre-half Steve Cook scores the best goal you're likely to see in March at least with a fine angled strike that sails right into the top corner. Absolutely filthy goal.

It's party time in the red and black sections of Craven Cottage as the visiting fans chant "we want 10". They won't reach that figure, but they've been a perfect 10 tonight.

Seko Fofana goes into the book now for a cynical challenge and we're just going through the motions now.

Save!!!!!! Good save by Bettinelli as he keeps out Junior Stanislas's near-post volley. Six would've been cruel, wouldn't it?

Fulham's anguish will be extended by five minutes as that's how much added time we've got.

You have to feel sorry for Ross McCormack tonight because he's done very little wrong. He's one of the few Fulham players that can leave the field with his head held high.

Full time: Fulham 1-5 Bournemouth.

That's all she wrote folks. More boos ring around Craven Cottage as Bournemouth hit five past the Cottagers en route to the top of the Championship table!

Two from Brett Pitman. Two from Matt Ritchie, and something really, really special from centre-back Steve Cook.

Anywho, that's all we've got time for tonight. We've got plenty of live commentaries tomorrow, from Premier League, to Bundesliga, and La Liga. But if we don't see you tomorrow then enjoy your weekend mates. Cheers.

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Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe during the Pre Season Friendly match between AFC Bournemouth and Southampton at The Goldsands Stadium on July 25, 2014
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