Forest 2-3 Bournemouth: Anthony completes Cherries' dramatic comeback
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Bournemouth: Super-sub Jaidon Anthony completes the Cherries’ dramatic comeback at the City Ground… after Philip Billing and Dominic Solanke brought the visitors level in the second-half
- Bournemouth came from behind to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 on Saturday
- The hosts took a two-goal lead through Cheikhou Kouyate and Brennan Johnson
- Cherries clawed one back through a 30-yard wondergoal from Philip Billing
- Solanke’s acrobatic effort brought the visitors level before Anthony’s winner
Well what a difference a week makes. Seven days on from the embarrassment and shame in a 9-0 loss at Anfield, Bournemouth showed mighty fortitude to come from two goals down to win at Nottingham Forest.
They trailed by two goals and had barely forged an attack in the first half but fought back with a 30-yard Philip Billing screamer, a Dominic Solanke overhead kick and a zapping counter-attack winner.
There were no swanky cardigans in the dugout, with interim boss Gary O’Neil keeping it simple with a club tracksuit, though the 39-year-old kicked every ball and didn’t take a seat all match.
Jaidon Anthony scored the winner in Bournemouth’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest
Dominic Solanke (L) brought the visitors level in the second-half with a brilliant acrobatic goal
Summer signing Cheikhou Kouyate gave the hosts an early lead with a well-taken header
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (3-4-2-1): Henderson 6.5; Worrall 6, Cook 6, McKenna 5; Williams 6.5, Yates 6.5, Kouyate 7 (Colback 77), Lodi 6; Johnson 7 (Dennis 85), Gibbs-White 7; Lingard 6.5 (Awoniyi 67, 6).
Subs not used: Hennessey, Biancone, O’Brien, Toffolo, Freuler, Boly.
Booked: McKenna, Lodi.
Manager: Steve Cooper 6.
BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Neto 5; Smith 6, Mepham 6, Kelly 5.5, Zemura 6 (Fredericks 46, 6); Lerma 6, Cook 6; Tavernier 6.5, Billing 7.5 (Moore 90), Christie 7 (Anthony 85); Solanke 7 (Stacey 90+4).
Subs not used: Travers, Stephens, Marcondes, Dembele, Senesi.
Booked: Neto.
Manager: Gary O’Neill 7.
Referee: Michael Oliver 7.5.
Attendance: not given.
Not that style has any influence on managerial style, mind, but what a seismic first week in management this has been for O’Neil, with four points against Wolves and now Forest.
The former Portsmouth, Middlesbrough and West Ham midfielder clearly delivered a purposeful half-time team talk and got his substitutions spot on.
One of those, Jadon Anthony, scored the all-important winner in the 87th minute after being left in a barely-believable amount of space in the Forest penalty area.
These sides had conceded 17 goals between them in the two previous matches so it was perhaps a welcome break that this match started in a much less frantic manner.
Bournemouth were 4-0 down by the half-hour mark at Anfield last week and they defended much better in the first half here and looked calmer in possession.
But Forest sprung with two goals towards the end of the first half, one from a set-piece and the other from a penalty after a lengthy VAR review.
Cheikhou Kouyate opened the scoring on 33 minutes after connecting with Morgan Gibbs-White’s corner to firmly head home. Kouyate made 129 top-flight appearances for both West Ham and Crystal Palace and the Senegalese international has added some valuable Premier League know-how to Forest’s relatively young team.
He nearly had to be substituted with an injury minutes before opening the scoring, in what was either side’s real sight of goal in a match lacking in goalmouth action.
Forest doubled their lead just before the break, as Michael Oliver pointed to the spot after Lloyd Kelly was adjudged to have blocked Neco Williams’ shot at point-blank range with his elbow.
Cherries midfielder Philip Billing (R) scored a long-range strike to kick-start the comeback
The men in black at Stockley Park took nearly four minutes to assess the alleged handball – and a possible offside in the build-up – before instructing Oliver to trot over to the video monitor.
Oliver broke with convention – which normally sees trips to the monitor end with decisions overturned – to stick with his original verdict. Brennan Johnson confidently fired home.
After losing to Tottenham and being thrashed at Manchester City midweek, these are the sort of fixtures which Forest will be judged on and, after 45 minutes, it was an efficient showing.
But though Steve Cooper’s men were two goals ahead, their performance was by far from their best. Bournemouth offered nothing with the ball until a spectacular long-range effort from Billing pulled a goal back. The left-footed piledriver is an early contender for goal of the month.
Brennan Johnson doubled Forest’s advantage from the spot after Lloyd Kelly’s handball
That seemed to click O’Neil’s side into gear, with Bournemouth suddenly playing faster, crisper passes, and getting Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Christie into the game more often.
Billing’s fantastic strike looked like it would take some topping but Solanke tried his best, scoring from an exquisite overhead kick from around the penalty spot, though it was helped on its way past Dean Henderson by the head of Scott McKenna.
Solanke turned provider for the winner, gaining possession high up the pitch before picking out the run of Anthony, who confidently prodded past Henderson for the win.
It sent the travelling Cherries fans into bedlam. And after seeing their side hammered by nine goals seven days earlier, what a feeling this must be.
Gary O’Neil (R) took charge of Bournemouth following Scott Parker’s midweek departure
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