'We failed Burnley's physical test', says Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe

By Richard Morgan

Saturday 10 December 2016 19:35, UK

Bournemouth's failure to deal with the physical test that Burnley threw at them on Saturday cost them the match, according to manager Eddie Howe.

The Cherries followed up last Sunday's dramatic 4-3 home win against Liverpool by losing 3-2 at Turf Moor, a result that sees the visitors slip to 11th in the Premier League.

And it was Bournemouth's inability to handle the Clarets' direct style of play that most disappointed Howe.

"We were excellent away from home last season, we were resolute and went to some tough places," he said. "Today was a different test, a physical test, Burnley were very direct, and we did not deal with that very well at stages of the game and that has ultimately cost us.

"It was a difficult start to the game, although I thought we were well in the game in the first 10 minutes, we had a couple of chances.

"But they then scored two goals very quickly and we would be disappointed with them both.

"When you score right on the brink of half-time, you think that was a really good moment for us. We penned then in for the last 20 minutes of the first half, so the goal was coming.

"Then the second half, it is the third goal that has killed us, quite a long way out on an angle it was a surprise that it went in. And disappointing from our perspective as it gave us a mountain to climb."

The final result, though, could have been different had referee Martin Atkinson either awarded Bournemouth a penalty after a trip on substitute Marc Pugh with eight minutes to go, or not ruled out Benik Afobe's last-minute strike for handball, decisions Howe disagreed with.

"It is difficult, I have only seen them once, but I thought Marc Pugh was a penalty, Marc certainly feels it was," said Howe after the game.