Only Paul Parry in the City team would be called a realistic contender for a place in our starting line up in normal circumstances, but there were enough reserve team regulars in the team for a better level of performance to be expected from the side.
City started the better of the two teams and Jamal Easter was inches away from meeting a tempting Anthony Taylor cross after around five minutes. However, shortly afterwards the visitors took the lead when they broke down the City's left hand side and a cross to around the penalty spot was directed slowly goalwards to where Kyle Patterson seemed to get the slightest of touches to turn the ball home. It was a soft goal to concede and events turned farcical as a disappointed Craig Attard whacked the ball towards the half way line only for it hit a Bournemoth player who collapsed as if he had been shot and needed a couple of minutes of treatment!
Minutes later Bournemouth should have made it two when Coutts was allowed to run through another gaping hole on the left hand side of City's defence only to fire wide. The visitors were easilly the sharper side at this stage and City's defence was struggling to cope with the impressive Patterson and Alan Connell (one of only two players I had heard of beforehand in their team).
City had their chances as well at this stage mind with them all seeming to fall to Stuart Fleetwood as, firstly, he shot across goal after being set up by a clever Easter pass and then forced the visitors experienced keeper Stewart to tip a shot from outside the box over. Despite these efforts, Bournemouth were still looking the better team and they doubled their lead when Danny Parslow didn't put enough on his headed back pass and Connell nipped in to score easilly.
Parslow tried to atone for his mistake with a good run from the back which may have led to a goal for Fleetwood if this first touch had been a bit better, but the day got worse for City when Parry (having not featured much up until then) limped off after about 35 minutes to be replaced by Curtis Mconald.
Actually, the substitution seemd to wake the team up a bit as they had the better of the remainder of the first period and they were rewarded when McDonald and Fleetwood combined to set up Easter who confidently scored from about twelve yards out. Within seconds it was almost 2-2 as the front two again linked up well and Stewart had to turn Fleetwood's shot away for a corner.
Having got their goal back just before the break, City carried their domination on into the opening stages of the second half and they were soon level when Fish won a tackle inside his own half played a good pass on to Easter who again showed his ability to hit clever early balls into space, this time Fleetwood was sent clear and he drove the ball under the advancing Stewart.
At this stage there only looked one winner and City were almost in front when Fish's clever run took him into space and his low cross was fired over by Taylor, but then, for no apparent reason, City slipped back into their old careless ways of the first half. Individual errors at the back presented Boutnemouth with a couple of easy chances which were missed, but City's luck couldn't hold and a misjudged header by Parslow lead to confusion in the defence which left Burden free to go on and fire past Attard.
At this stage there was still more than half an hour left but, despite plenty of huffing and puffing, City never really looked like scoring again while only a couple of very close offside decisions prevented the visitors from having one on ones with Attard.
It was a shame that what had been an enjoyable game ended with something of a whimper as Bournemouth comfortably held on to their lead, but there could be no doubting they deserved their victory on a day when too many City players who have proved themselves at this level over the past couple of seasons had off days.
Toni Koskela was withdrawn after about 65 minutes presumably because he will be on the bench at Coventry and I thought he did as well as anyone today showing strength and an ability to retain possession (he is no header of the ball though!). Also, Curtis McDonald's introduction certainly pepped up the team and he again impressed with his dribbling skills and his defensive awareness.
One last thing, normally the fact that Lennie Lawrence spent virtually the whole game on his mobile phone wouldn't attract a comment from me, but, in the current circumstances, I can't help having my own ideas as to why that was - I just hope I am wrong!