Southampton vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance31,847.
Sunday 2 April 2017 00:03, UK
Harry Arter missed a second-half penalty as Bournemouth drew 0-0 at Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
Substitute Arter blazed a penalty well over the bar in the 79th minute, taking up a chunk of the St Mary's turf with it, after Ryan Bertrand had brought down Ryan Fraser in the area.
Dusan Tadic hit the post for Saints in the first half, while Artur Boruc brilliantly tipped over a Jay Rodriguez effort just before the break.
Benik Afobe should have given Bournemouth the lead in the second half, but poked the ball just wide when one-on-one with Fraser Forster, before Adam Smith hit the post with a low drive.
The result means Southampton stay in 11th, while Bournemouth remain 12th, level on points with their south-coast opponents.
Rodriguez started for Saints in place of the injured Manolo Gabbiadini, while Bournemouth were unchanged from the 2-0 win over Swansea a fortnight ago.
In a first half lacking in clear-cut opportunities, Saints had the best of the play, but Bournemouth went close just after the half-hour mark as Andrew Surman's poked effort was cleared off the line by Steven Davis.
Tadic then hit the post with a neat curled effort on the edge of the box for Saints after a fine move, before Maya Yoshida headed over from a Tadic corner.
Boruc was at his best to deny Rodriguez a goal in first-half stoppage time as the chances started to fall the hosts' way, tipping over the striker's half-volley from an angle inside the area.
The second half began flat, but Bournemouth should have been ahead just after the hour mark after Afobe poked wide having been put through on goal by Josh King as the visitors broke two versus one.
James Ward-Prowse then drove the ball just wide moments later, before substitute Shane Long dinked the ball just wide.
Smith then hit the post with a low deflected effort from 20, and with 11 mintues remaining, Eddie Howe's side had the best chance of the game.
After Bertrand had pulled Fraser back with his arm inside the box, referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot, only for Arter to blaze yards over the bar as his left foot slipped before striking with his right.
Arter nearly atoned for the miss moments later, forcing Fraser into a good save with a long-range drive, but his penalty miss was decisive as it ended goalless.
Player ratings
Southampton: Forster (5), Cedric (6), Stephens (6), Yoshida (6), Bertrand (5), Romeu (5), Davis (6), Ward-Prowse (6), Tadic (7), Redmond (6), Rodriguez (6)
Subs: Boufal (6), Long (6), McQueen (NA)
Bournemouth: Boruc (6), Smith (6), Francis (6), Cook (6), Daniels (6), Fraser (7), Surman (6), Gosling (6), Pugh (6), King (5), Afobe (5)
Subs: Arter (6), Wilshere (6)
Man of the match: Dusan Tadic
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