Groves: Result is hard to take

AFC Bournemouth manager Paul Groves believed the Cherries deserved to win their first round Football League Trophy match against Portsmouth on Tuesday night.

Groves named a strong side for the game and impressed in large parts in front of the television audience.

The Cherries took the lead on five minutes when a superb cross from Simon Francis was headed home by Shaun MacDonald. The away side continued to control the first half, but went in at the break level after Pompey found an equaliser in the final minute of the half.

The same pattern continued in the second half, with AFC Bournemouth the better side, MacDonald scored a superb goal from a corner routine, powering home from 20 yards to put the Cherries back in front.

Wes Fogden had his best chance of the evening to extend the lead, but his shot across goal came back off the post.

Moments later and Pompey were level again with a nicely taken goal by Howard.

MacDonald had one final effort to score a hat-trick, but the ball wouldn't come down quickly enough for him to strike his effort properly and with the scores level the game went to a penalty shoot out.

Southampton loanee Lee Barnard missed the Cherries first penalty, whilst Marc Pugh blazed his effort high over the cross bar.

It was the second time this season that Pugh had missed during a penalty shoot out and the second time this season the Cherries have been knocked out of a Cup competition on spot kicks.

Groves told afcb.co.uk...

"The result is hard to take because in terms of the performance, we controlled the game and passed the ball well. We created plenty of chances and limited them to very little.

"I`ve not been involved in too many games where one team has been so dominant and not come away with a result. Shaun MacDonald could have had a hat trick, Wes Fogden could have had a hat trick, so what do you say when you have been so dominant, played so well, and they have created nothing.

"I can only praise the lads and I know how they are feeling because they worked so hard and Portsmouth couldn`t handle us...'

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