Matchday Live: Cherries v Stevenage (From Bournemouth Echo)

9:37pm

Thanks for joining us tonight..... Match report on the website shortly.

9:36pm

Francis's shot from the free kick is deflected away.

9:35pm

Free kick to Cherries on the edge now after Arter was felled.... Last chance maybe.

9:33pm

And moments later, Grabban's shot from the edge of the box is also blocked. Incredible defending from Stevenage.

9:32pm

Simon Francis sees his shot blocked this time as Cherries chase a winner in stoppage time.

9:29pm

Stevenage shot from the edge of the box is parried by David James and cleared.... Cherries will have to be mindful of getting caught on the break here.

9:28pm

Grabban's shot from the corner is blocked..... 

9:28pm

Arnold saves well from Addison's header.....

9:25pm

Pugh's cross again and Grabban blasts over from close range.... A tale of missed chances thus far.

9:21pm

Wonderful play by Pugh and Daniels down the left, but Addison heads narrowly wide. Great chance to take the lead.....

9:19pm

Shaun MacDonald's shot from distance is well saved by Arnold.

9:17pm

9:17pm

9:17pm

9:16pm

Cherries have absolutely battered Stevenage and it's well deserved..... Matt Tubbs fires home Lewis Grabban's cross to make it 1-1.

9:13pm

Grabban fires over from distance as Cherries continue to hunt for an equaliser.

9:12pm

9:11pm

9:10pm

Cherries lacking a bit of tempo we've seen in recent weeks, but this is tough. Stevenage getting 10 men behind the ball and very difficult to break down.

9:05pm

9:05pm

9:02pm

Tonight's attendance is 5,504.

9:02pm

This time it's Daniels bursting into the box from the left channel, but his effort goes wide.

9:00pm

It's all Cherries here, but Stevenage are defending resolutely.

8:59pm

Grabban's volley from close range goes over the bar. Incredible chance to level matters....

8:53pm

8:53pm

8:48pm

Josh McQuoid in action during the first half.

8:48pm

Brett Pitman is unveiled to the Cherries fans before kick-off.

8:37pm

Lee Barnard in first-half action against Stevenage tonight.....

8:26pm

Charlie Daniels's volley is gathered by Arnold..... Four minutes until half-time.

8:24pm

Cherries trying to get back in this, but are found wanting at the moment.

8:12pm

Greg Tansey slots home from Marcus Habar's cross to hand the visitors the lead....

8:10pm

Great save from Arnold from Grabban's header inside the six-yard box.

8:04pm

Prior to that, Lucas Akins blasted over from distance for the visitors.

8:04pm

Barnard's weak header is easily saved by Arnold.

7:59pm

Steve Arnold saves well from Barnard after Arter's teasing cross..... Should have been 1-0.

7:56pm

Wonderful work from Marc Pugh down the left, but Barnard can't get on the end of his cross.

7:48pm

Good start from Cherries, with Barnard and Grabban looking lively from the get-go.

7:36pm

The gaffer – Gary Smith
Smith was appointed Stevenage manager in January 2012 after leaving Colorado Rapids at the end of the 2011 season.  A series of injuries towards the end of his playing career saw Smith move into coaching.
By the age of 28, he was with Wimbledon and by 30 he had already gained his UEFA ‘A’ licence coaching badge. He returned to former club Wycombe under Tony Adams in 2004 and he later became assistant first team coach, even taking up the position of assistant manager following Adams’s resignation in November 2004. The club remained unbeaten as he and caretaker manager Keith Ryan took the reins.   He moved to Watford in 2005 as assistant academy manager and was quickly promoted to reserve team coach. By 2007, he became a scout at Arsenal and, in 2008, moved to Colorado Rapids as part of a strong strategic partnership between the clubs due to Stan Kroenke’s ownership of both.
He took the job as assistant manager and was thrust in as interim head coach in 2008 after the resignation of the club’s manager. He guided the club from bottom of the league to final day heartache as they just missed out on the play-offs and was subsequently rewarded with a three-year contract.  Despite having the smallest budget in the MLS, Smith guided the Rapids to glory as they won the MLS Cup in 2010. He later left the club and just a few months later was appointed manager of Stevenage.
In his first half season with Boro, his side secured a play-off place and almost had a Wembley appearance but for a late loss at Sheffield United in the second leg of the semi-final.

7:36pm

The man in the middle
Tim Robinson from West Sussex takes charge of tonight’s encounter.
This is his first year as a Football League referee and took charge of Stevenage’s 3-2 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat at Dagenham earlier this season.

7:27pm

The dangerman - Lucas Akins
Yorkshireman Akins started his career with hometown club Huddersfield.
Released by the Terriers in 2008, Akins moved north to Scotland and joined Hamilton, before linking up with Tranmere in 2010.
The 23-year-old man 77 appearances for Rovers, scoring seven goals, but despite being offered a further one-year contract at Prenton Park, Akins handed in a transfer request during the summer and signed a three-year contract with Stevenage in August.
Akins has scored six goals this season for tonight’s visitors and will be the biggest threat to Cherries’ ongoing unbeaten run.

7:27pm

Cherries v Stevenage - stats

Head to head: Matches – 2, Cherries wins – 0, Stevenage wins – 1, Draws – 1.

Previous two meetings: Stevenage 2-2 Cherries, Cherries 1-3 Stevenage.

7:25pm