Crunch Time for Cherries: AFC Bournemouth’s Promotion Salvage.

Lee Bradbury's men have a crunch period coming up if they are to clinch promotion. AFCB

With every passing game, AFC Bournemouth’s slim promotion challenge looks less and less likely. The Cherries came into February on the back of just one loss in seven, and up to 8th from 15th at the beginning of December. January saw AFCB pick up 10 points, a quarter of their total up to that point, and established themselves as the in – form team in League One. Manager Bradbury had spent big, investing in the promotion push, and the dream scenario that looked impossible mid – November, was becoming even more plausible.

But what a difference a week makes in football.

AFCB have suffered 3 losses on the trot for the first time since August, and going into a crunch period for the Cherries, with their next 4 fixtures against teams currently sitting above them, a jam-packed March couldn’t be more important for Bradbury’s men.

Bournemouth find themselves in 10th, a far from impossible 5 points off the final playoff spot, but everyone above them (including a couple below them) bar Notts County, all fighting for that 6th spot have 2 games in hand.

So on to Charlton, Bournemouth’s massive next home clash against the team sailing away with the League One title. Charlton sunk the Cherries in the first game of the season 3-0 back in August and have not lost in their last nine, picking up 6 wins along the way. The Addicks smashed a now bottom Chesterfield 4-0 mid-week, and will smell blood when they visit a wobbly Bournemouth on Saturday. Without a league win against Charlton since 1975, not much is to be expected from that game in all truth, but it is the fixtures that follow that hold so much importance.

After Charlton, AFCB face Sheffield Wednesday, Carlise, and Brentford, games they realistically have to win at least 2 of to maintain a fighting chance. If they can pick up 7 points from these next 4 games, their promotion shout will be firmly back on, but heading into them with 3 straight losses is hardly the best preparation.

To add insult to injury, star man Marc Pugh looks set to be sitting out for the next 3 weeks with an ankle injury, and despite captain Adam Barrett looking close to a return, AFCB are seriously lacking in the goals department of late. With only 1 goal in the last 4 games, the front pairing of Wesley Thomas, who’s imperious form at the beginning of the season has dropped in recent weeks and new record signing striker Matt Tubbs, who is still settling in to the club, are finding it hard to spark a relationship so the goals of suffered.

Bradbury obviously remains optimistic towards AFC Bournemouth’s chances of a playoff spot, and cites the next 4 games as a make or break period of their campaign. We will know a little bit more about their chances come 5:00pm Saturday evening, and an whole lot more about the character of AFC Bournemouth as a club.