Barnes stormer

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 21st Jan 2006.

LOU Macari's Scottish scouting mission saw him miss a six-goal thriller with the Cherries at the County Ground in November 1987.

While the manager was north of the border trying to secure a new defender, it was left to assistant boss John Trollope to reflect on a mixed afternoon.

No complaints at one end of the field while rather too leaky at the other.

Bournemouth ended the match with nine men, full-backs Tom Heffernan and Paul Morrell both seeing red after struggling to get to grips with Bobby Barnes and Dave Bamber respectively.

After five games without a win this three points came as a big relief, not that it was a stress-free victory.

Trollope said: "We were good going forward but we could not be really sure of winning until the final whistle.

"We looked in trouble at the back from every set piece, "The important thing was that we won.

A few heads had been dropping in recent games but perhaps this will give us the boost we need."

Town looked like scoring every time they surged forward into the Cherries half.

Barnes tormented Heffernan so much that the right back virtually lost his self control.

He was booked for a meaty challenge in the 47th minute and sent off nine minutes later after again scything down the winger.

His full back partner Morrell also saw red, booked for late challenges on Bamber in 16th minute and was then sent off four minutes from time.

Town took the lead on eight minutes. Steve White cheekily backheeled to Jim Quinn whose shot thumped off the left post. Barnes was on hand to drive in the rebound.

White then doubled the lead before Bournemouth pulled one back.

Mark Whitlock lofted a free-kick into the Town area, John Williams headed down and Mark O'Connor volleyed past Tim Flowers.

Quinn tucked home number three on 54 minutes after White's initial effort had hit the post but back came Bournemouth again.

A corner from the left evaded several players inside the area and Dave Puckett was on hand to poke the ball into the net.

Town made the points safe however when a through ball from Barnes found White in oceans of space and he raced on to crack a shot past Bournemouth keeper Gerry Peyton.

n Town: Tim Flowers, Dave Hockaday, Phil King, Kieren O'Regan, Jon Gittens, Colin Calderwood, Bobby Barnes, Dave Bamber, Jim Quinn, Steve Foley, Steve White.

Subs: Peter Coyne, Charlie Henry.

Att: 7,934.

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