Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PREMIER LEAGUE
Rejuvenated Cherries lift the relegation gloom as the Wilsons fire them to crucial three points
FOR Bournemouth this was a win worth more than three points.
Harry Wilson’s strike, an own goal from Pascal Gross and a third from Callum Wilson sealed a victory that summed up the Cherries’ unity in adversity.
Another club would have sacked boss Eddie Howe after the 10 defeats in 12 games that had preceded this.
Not Bournemouth. They have survived far worse than the cold hands of the Championship wrapping themselves around their ankles.
Administration and a 10-point deduction in 2008, for example. The debts that nearly put them out of business. Relegation to the fourth tier, the Football League threatening to block their participation in that division and a 17-point penalty for failing to follow insolvency rules.
Then, of course, needing to beat Grimsby to guarantee League status.
A top-flight relegation scrap is nothing by comparison. And the home fans belted out Howe’s name as the Cherries racked up the goals.
This was a victory to prove there is still a pulse beating here at the Vitality
Stadium.
Bournemouth were helped by the fact they were up against a Brighton side equally low on confidence. They had managed just one win in nine, had never won a Premier League match in January or, curiously, an away game in the competition on a Tuesday.
Graham Potter’s Seagulls started well, but the turning point was a game-changing save from man of the match Aaron Ramsdale.
The Cherries keeper made himself big to keep out Neil Maupay’s 27th-minute shot, before Nathan Ake blocked the rebound.
Bournemouth never looked back. Ten minutes before the break, Dominic Solanke teed up Harry Wilson who rammed the ball home from inside the box.
And just before half-time, Albion’s Gross sliced the ball in to his own net under pressure from Callum Wilson after a corner from Diego Rico.
Ramsdale kept Bournemouth in it with outstanding saves from Maupay and Aaron Mooy.
Potter made a triple substitution on the hour, bringing on Solly March, Aaron Connolly and Leandro Trossard for Bernardo, Ali Jahanbakhsh and Gross.
It made little difference. A minute later Brighton keeper Mat Ryan, not at his best by any means, was forced into a fine save to keep out a Philip Billing header from close range.
The Seagulls did launch a late assault on Howe’s men during the final third of the game. Maupay and Mooy drew flying saves from Ramsdale within seven minutes of each other.
But soon afterwards, Solanke set up Callum Wilson who rounded the keeper to score with 16 minutes to go.
Mooy’s fine strike, in off a post with nine minutes left, was only ever going to be a consolation as Bournemouth were full value for this fine win.