Three fine finishes the undoing for Rovers at AFC Bournemouth

Jack Stacey and Bradley Johnson traded long-range strikes in the first half but efforts Jefferson Lerma and Arnaut Danjuma, either side of Adam Armstrong’s equaliser, gave Jason Tindall a win on his first match in charge.

Tony Mowbray will have been encouraged by his side’s display, particularly in the second half, where they were very much in the ascendancy and thought they had snatched it themselves when Lewis Holtby had a goal chalked off.

But Bournemouth’s quality finishing proved the difference, with little Thomas Kaminski could do with any of the goals on what was a promising debut from the Belgian who made a stunning stop to deny Dominic Solanke.

Kaminski was handed his debut as Tony Mowbray named the side many expected as Derrick Williams slotted in at centre half with Joe Rankin-Costello getting the nod on the right wing.

The lack of fans felt more prominent, given it was the opening day, one of the biggest days of the footballing calendar feeling flat at the Vitaly Stadium.

It was a quiet opening, with neither goalkeeper troubled in the early stages, albeit Lewis Cook did pass up a decent opportunity for the hosts as he skewed an effort wide from the edge of the box.

Rovers’ game-plan was to use their mobility in attack to press high up the pitch, win the ball and spring on the hosts, but wayward shots from Adam Armstrong and Lewis Holtby failed to make the most of the opportunities they did pinch possession.

Indeed, it was something of a bolt out of the blue in the 26th minute that livened up the match, and saw Rovers fall behind. They failed to get the necessary pressure on Jack Stacey who took aim from distance and found the bottom corner, via the post, as his shot fizzed beyond the outstretched arm of Kaminski.

That didn’t pave the way for much goalmouth action however, though Junior Stanislas and Arnaut Danjuma did become more of a threat for the hosts.

Rovers did end the half level, and deservedly so though, having enjoyed their best period in the 10 minutes before the break.

First a break down the right, where much of Rovers’ best work came from, saw Nyambe cross for Armstrong, and after his first-time effort was blocked by Steve Cook, the visitors managed to get bodies around Holtby to block his follow-up.

That was the same story moments later, Brereton the man to be denied, but his shot coming at the end of an excellent 60-yard break. Kaminski rolled the ball in to his path and Brereton got into full flight, skipping past two challenges before curling goalwards, with Cook getting his body in the way.

Holtby fired wide before Rovers did find the back of the net, and from distance themselves, moments before the break.

Bradley Johnson lined one up from 25 yards, and with a bit of swerve and power, it proved too much for Cherries goalkeeper Mark Travers as the shot squirmed beyond him and in to the net.

Rovers were out a good few minutes before the hosts for the start of the second half and looked to press on after their goal just before the break.

It felt like there was very much a positive result there for the taking and Johnson went close to his, and Rovers’ second, just minutes after the re-start. Darragh Lenihan’s header fell kindly for him, but he couldn’t guide his shot inside the near post of Travers who watched it wide.

Having conceded with their first shot on target, however, they fell behind from their second as the hosts retook their lead in the 53rd minute. The danger came as Dominic Solanke neatly rolled Johnson to tee up Jefferson Lerma who had the opportunity from the edge of the box to curl beyond Kaminski, something he did with ease.

Bournemouth sensed their chance to turn the screw and began to enjoy their best spell of the game. And but for superb Kaminski stopped they would well have put the game beyond Rovers in the 61st minute. Danjouma got to the byline to tee up Solanke whose effort from 12 yards was well struck, but the fingertips of the Belgian keeper sent it over the bar.

He had an easier time of things to stop Steve Cook’s left foot corner from the ensuing corner, and from another Stanislas delivery the central defender couldn’t guide his header on target.

Mowbray sensed the need to change, making a double switch on the flanks as Tyrhys Dolan and Joe Rothwell were sent on and quickly in to the action. Dolan found Rothwell whose driving run in to the box teed up Armstrong who fizzed a shot over from 12 yards, when you would have expected him to at least hit the target.

But he did just that, and more, in the 73rd minute, as Rovers equalised for a second time. It was a fine first touch, and finish, from last season’s top scorer, but his goal owed much to the work of Nyambe down the right who drove beyond Lloyd Kelly to find Armstrong with his cross, the striker doing the rest to the roll the ball in to the corner.

Nyambe’s confidence was up, even having a go at goal himself, from 25 yards, which flew over the bar.

It was Rovers who were doing the pressing as Bournemouth sent on David Brooks, and switched to a back four, and thought they had taken the lead for the first time with nine minutes to go. Holtby turned home from six yards out after an Armstrong cross-shot, but his celebrations were cut short as the linesman was quick, and right, to give offside.

It was becoming a fine second half for Rovers who were well on top, but just as thoughts had turned to the chance of a first opening day win for 10 years, they fell behind for a third time. The hosts read Dolan’s attempted step-over and then left Rovers short of numbers at the back, Danjouma eventually cutting inside Lenihan to curl a fine effort into the top corner.

Even then Rovers continued to pour forward, and Corry Evans had a rare chance to find the net in the final seconds. Amari’i Bell’s shot fell kindly for him, but he opted to take a touch, rather than shoot first time, and the chance, and Rovers’ hopes of taking anything back to East Lancashire, was gone.

AFC Bournemouth: Travers, Kelly, S Cook, Mepham (Brooks, 79), Lerma (Gosling, 60), Solanke, Danjuma, Smith, L Cook, Stacey, Stanislas (Billing, 84)

Not used: Dennis, Surridge, Ofoborh, Simpson,

Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe, Lenihan, Williams, Bell, Travis (Evans, 85), Johnson, Holtby, Brereton (Rothwell, 68), Rankin-Costello (Dolan, 68), Armstrong

Not used: Fisher, Buckley, Wharton, Bennett