Bournemouth vs Everton. Premier League.
Vitality StadiumAttendance11,228.
Saturday 28 November 2015 19:18, UK
Junior Stanislas scored in the 98th minute to earn Bournemouth a dramatic 3-3 draw against Everton at the Vitality Stadium.
Ross Barkley thought he had won the game for the visitors when he scored five minutes into injury-time to make the score 3-2, only to be denied by an even later strike from Stanislas, who had earlier equalised in the 87th minute as Bournemouth came from 2-0 down.
Everton had led comfortably at half-time after goals from Ramiro Funes Mori and Romelu Lukaku, but Bournemouth scored twice in the final 10 minutes of normal time through substitute Adam Smith's stunner and Stanislas, before the injury-time drama.
Everton were denied the chance to move up to sixth in the Premier League table, while Bournemouth remain in the relegation zone.
Both managers opted to field the same starting line-ups from the previous weekend, meaning Everton were still without left-back Leighton Baines.
However, it was an injury to Bournemouth goalkeeper Adam Federici, who was continuing to cover for first-choice Artur Boruc, that unsettled the home side in the first half.
Federici landed awkwardly on his ankle after punching clear a right-wing Gerard Deulofeu corner, with the Australia international having to receive lengthy treatment for the problem.
The visitors wasted little time in testing out Federici's fitness levels, with the 'keeper firstly turning aside Arouna Kone's drive at his near post, before then doing even better to keep out Lukaku's close-range header.
However, after making a third impressive stop to deny James McCarthy, whose low drive from the edge of the box appeared to be heading for the corner of the net, Everton did finally take the lead when Funes Mori rose high to head home Barkley's left-wing corner for his first goal for the club.
And it was not long before the Merseysiders had doubled their lead after Deulofeu fed Lukaku in the box and the striker held off Steve Cook's challenge before beating Federici from close range with a powerful shot for his 10th Premier League goal of the campaign.
Bournemouth, who came close to pulling a goal back when Cook's header was cleared off the line by John Stones just before the break, were forced to replace the limping Federici at half-time with Ryan Allsop.
However, the back-up goalkeeper, who was making his Premier League debut, was a virtual spectator for most of the second half as Bournemouth went in search of a goal to get back into the game.
The home side were forced to wait until 10 minutes from time, though, to finally find a way past Howard, but Smith's wonder strike was worth it.
Matt Ritchie's right-wing corner was cleared to the Bournemouth substitute and from 25 yards out the right-back beat Tim Howard with a curling effort that went in off the post.
Almost immediately Bournemouth were appealing for a penalty when Smith was bundled over in the box by Brendan Galloway, only for referee Kevin Friend to wave away their protests.
However, their disappointment was soon forgotten when substitute Glenn Murray took a quick free-kick to release Joshua King down the right wing, and the forward's inch-perfect pull-back was converted by Stanislas for his first goal in five years.
Incredibly the scoring was not over as in injury time Everton retook the lead through Barkley's scuffed shot that somehow got past Allsop to seemingly hand the visitors all three points and spark wild celebrations.
But in added-on time in injury time, given after Everton's fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate Barkley's late strike, Charlie Daniels was sent clear down the left flank and his centre was headed home by Stanislas to ensure a thrilling match ended with the spoils shared.
Player ratings
Bournemouth: Federici (7), Francis (6), Cook (7), Distin (6), Daniels (7), Ritchie (6), Gosling (7), Surman (6), Stanislas (8), Arter (7), King (7)
Used subs: Smith (7), Allsop (6), Murray (7)
Everton: Howard (7), Coleman (6), Funes Mori (7), Stones (7), Galloway (6), McCarthy (6), Barry (6), Deulofeu (6), Barkley (6), Kone (6), Lukaku (7)
Used subs: Gibson (6), Lennon (6), Cleverley (6)
Man of the match: Junior Stanislas
