Bournemouth vs Everton. Premier League.
Vitality StadiumAttendance10,497.
Saturday 30 December 2017 19:55, UK
Bournemouth ended a run of eight games without a win as Ryan Fraser's deflected 88th-minute strike earned them a 2-1 victory over Everton.
Fraser had met Josh King's cross to volley the Cherries in front after 33 minutes, but Everton equalised 12 minutes into the second half as Oumar Niasse set up Idrissa Gueye to level following a mistake from Steve Cook.
But Fraser, who was the game's stand-out player, was not to be denied as the Scot cut inside and saw his shot deflect off Michael Keane and beyond Jordan Pickford to the delight of the home crowd.
The result moves Eddie Howe's side out of the Premier League relegation zone and up to 14th, while Everton remain ninth after a first loss since Sam Allardyce took charge.
Bournemouth had never gone nine games without winning in the Premier League, and they created the better chances of the first half with Callum Wilson denied by Everton 'keeper Pickford after he had wriggled free of both Keane and Phil Jagielka with 18 minutes on the clock.
More patient work from the hosts led to Jordon Ibe forcing Pickford into another save at his near post, but Bournemouth were finally rewarded for their more courageous approach, albeit thanks to a mistake.
James McCarthy conceded possession cheaply in midfield and the ball was worked by Wilson into the path of King down the right, with his cross then thrashed home on the volley by Fraser.
Everton had been toothless - the closest they came to scoring came after Adam Smith's poor back pass was intercepted by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but the forward hesitated and his cross to Aaron Lennon was cleared by Nathan Ake.
Allardyce had seen enough and opted to bring on Wayne Rooney for McCarthy at the interval, but it was his second change - the arrival of Niasse in the 54th minute - that helped haul his side level after 57 minutes.
A dreadful clearance from defender Cook was intercepted by Gylfi Sigurdsson who threaded a pass through to Niasse, the Senegalese striker then invited his compatriot Gueye onto the ball and he dispatched his finish with aplomb to Asmir Begovic's right.
Having surrendered a winning position to West Ham on Boxing Day courtesy of two goalkeeping mistakes, home supporters may have feared the worst, but it was Bournemouth who showed greater desire to clinch victory thereafter as Ibe's shot clipped the crossbar.
And the Cherries were not to be denied with Ake producing a perfectly-timed block to deny Sigurdsson, before Fraser went on another barnstorming run down the left and fired in off the unfortunate Keane.
Fraser was a constant thorn in the Everton side with young right-back Jonjoe Kenny enduring one of his toughest assignments since being drafted into the Everton side.
The Scot combined well with Adam Smith down Bournemouth's left and capped a lively display with his first Premier League brace.
While there was a slice of good fortune about his late winner, Fraser was rewarded for his persistence, having caused endless problems to the Everton defence as the hosts secured a crucial victory thanks to his contribution.
Eddie Howe: "It was another incredible game. We've ended up with four points from the last two games. We showed tremendous character, and I was delighted to see the second goal go in.
"Unless you've been following us the past few weeks, you won't know we've been shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit with individual errors but we showed great character to fight back and win the game. I thought we deserved it."
Sam Allardyce: "I feel disappointed because of the way we gave it away, really. We gave them the opportunity to score the winner even though it's got a bad deflection and gone into the net. We shouldn't have allowed them to get into that position in the first place.
"We had good possession in their half and just gifted it back to them. They punished us in the end."
Charlie Nicholas: "A big slice of luck played a part [in the winner]. I was really disappointed with Everton and the home team deserved this.
"Wilson got a little too selfish for me and he was frustrating his team-mates. Fraser's shot is probably going wide but the deflection takes it past Pickford, who I thought was excellent.
"He made four or five top-class saves, so for me Bournemouth deserved it, although it's a late goal coming. I'm sure Eddie Howe and the boys won't care as it's a great three points for them."
Bournemouth travel the short distance to face Brighton at the Amex Stadium live in front of the Sky Sports cameras on New Year's Day, with Everton in action against Manchester United as part of a double bill on Sky Sports Premier League later that day.
