PLEASE mister, can we have our team back?
Having set a new Football League record of 43 matches unbeaten, Town have now lost two on the trot.
And this was even more disappointing than the 2-0 defeat at leaders Charlton.
Lee Clark’s side lacked not only lustre, but tempo, energy, composure and chances.
There was only one real effort on target, a 64th-minute shot from Jordan Rhodes which was calmly plucked out of the air by keeper Darryl Flahavan.
And to make matters even worse, Town lost right-back Jack Hunt to an ankle injury which looks set to keep him out of next Saturday’s derby at Sheffield Wednesday and possibly the festive fixtures.
The challenge now is for Clark’s men to hit back at Hillsborough after marking the third anniversary of the manager’s arrival with one of the worst performances under his command.
Few take losing football matches harder than the Galpharm boss, who was virtually tearing his hair out as his team huffed and puffed but seldom looked likely to salvage even a point.
Captain and centre-back Peter Clarke was pushed up front in a desperate late measure, but it was to no avail as Town lost a home league game for the first time since Hartlepool won 1-0 last Boxing Day.
It was the same scoreline on Saturday, but the margin could well have been greater as Bournemouth clinched a first win over Town in 20 attempts.
Efan Ekoku was the goal ace at Leeds Road back in January 1993, and it was Harry Arter who did the damage almost 19 years on.
The midfielder notched in the 19th minute, shooting home low from eight yards after the lively Wes Thomas held off Clarke’s challenge out on the right and after having his first cross blocked by debutant Alex Bruce, the on-loan Leeds centre-back, picked out the lurking Arter at the second attempt.
Scouts were once again out in force, and many will have noted the fact that while Bournemouth have lined up a deal to make the 24-year-old Crawley striker’s loan move permanent, the transfer cannot take place until the window reopens next month.
While Thomas caught the eye, so too did Arter, the brother-in-law of Tottenham and England ace Scott Parker, and Shaun Cooper, who played in front of the back four and helped starve Rhodes and home debutant Jon Parkin, the on-loan Cardiff frontman, of possession.
Bournemouth’s workrate was such that when a Town player did get the ball, his options were quickly limited.
That meant an all-too-comfortable afternoon for centre-backs Adam Barrett, a former Southend teammate of Town skipper Clarke, and Steve Cook, on loan from Brighton.
Cook was one of a string of visiting players to come close, shooting over from Scott Malone’s corner in first-half stoppage time.
Earlier, Malone had a low shot held by Bennett then caused mayhem by cutting into the Town penalty area, with the home side unable to clear and Thomas eventually laying the ball back to Arter, whose shot was saved.
Right-back Simon Francis, on loan from Charlton with a view to a permanent move, headed over from Malone’s 15th-minute corner.
Then, soon after Arter’s goal, Clarke made a key clearance from Malone’s teasing cross.
Bennett twice had to race out of his area, first to thwart Marc Puigh, then Thomas, while Francis shot into the side-netting before the keeper did well to tip over Malone’s header.
Chances were far fewer in the second half, but the damage had been done.
Whatever you need this Christmas, go to www.LocalMole.co.uk - the fast, accurate local business directory.
