Stoke City put aside their desperate relegation fight to reach the FA Cup
fifth round for the first time since 1987.
The scoreline was convincing in the end, but the tie swung on the dismissal of
Bournemouth goalkeeper Chris Tardif in first-half injury time.
It took a twice-taken penalty from Chris Iwelumo, plus a red card for Tardif
to send this tie Stoke's way.
Bournemouth did not deserve the misfortune that hit them in first-half injury
time, losing their keeper and the twice-taken penalty that ruined a period of
impressive work.
Stoke had looked barren of ideas, predictable and wayward while the Third
Division play-off hopefuls had been all buzz and brightness.
Winger Wade Elliott had been the most dangerous and watched an edge-of-the-box
effort smack against a post after just eight minutes.
Bournemouth withstood the ferocity and pace of Stoke's opening spell and
looked the better side right up until the red-card drama.
Seconds before the penalty, Tardif had saved superbly when Chris Greenacre was
put clear, but then tragedy struck.
Tardif brought down Brynjar Gunnarsson as the Stoke man took the ball round
him, and referee Mike Ryan had little choice but to show the red card under the
current laws.
Gareth Stewart had to come on in goal, Danny Thomas being sacrificed before
the spot-kick could be taken.
But there was more uproar when Iwelumo stepped up to blast in the penalty,
only for referee Ryan to order a re-take because Stoke players had encroached
into the box.
But Iwelumo kept his nerve and drilled the second kick low past Stewart's left
hand.
Stoke, who brought on Neil Cutler for keeper Steve Banks at the break, may
have been fortunate to be ahead at this point, but they made certain of a
passage into the last 16 six minutes into the second half.
Greenacre forced the ball over from the left and Iwelumo won a battle in the
six-yard box with Tindall to force the ball home.
Bournemouth still showed spirit and Steve Fletcher saw a 25-yarder test
Cutler, but the gaps were appearing now at the other end and Greenacre got clear
to send a shot inches wide while Iwelumo's header almost produced his hat-trick
on two occasions and Greenacre wasted a couple of decent openings.
Both Bournemouth full-backs came close with Stephen Purches testing Cutler and
Lewis Buxton stretching for a header and seeing the ball drop just wide of a
post.
But eventually tiredness took it's toll on the 10 men and with nine minutes
left Greenacre's pass sent Peter Hoekstra through on the right to drill the
third past Stewart from 12 yards.
Hoekstra took no further part, substituted before the restart, but his overall
wing play had produced the best moments for Stoke although it was Iwelumo who
was predictably the man of the match.
Teams
Stoke: Banks (Cutler 45), Henry, Thomas, Marteinsson,
Marcus Hall, Gudjonsson (Neal 82), Gunnarsson, O'Connor,
Hoekstra (Goodfellow 85), Greenacre, Iwelumo.
Subs Not Used: Wilson, Keogh.
Goals: Iwelumo 45 pen, 51, Hoekstra 84.
Bournemouth: Tardif, Buxton, Tindall, Carl Fletcher,
Stephen Purches, Elliott, Stock, O'Connor, Thomas (Stewart 45),
Hayter (Holmes 72), Steve Fletcher (Feeney 72).
Subs Not Used: Broadhurst, Foyewa.
Sent Off: Tardif (45).
Booked: Feeney.
Att: 12,004
Ref: M Ryan (Lancashire).
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