Scott Parker ‘puzzled’ by fan reaction after draw with Peterborough

Bournemouth manager Scott Parker admitted he was “puzzled” to hear his promotion-chasing side booed off after drawing 1-1 with bottom club Peterborough.

Ryan Christie’s second-half strike cancelled out Jack Marriott’s 100th career goal but the home fans were still frustrated to drop more points in their quest for automatic promotion.

Parker said: “I’ll be honest with you, I’m not really sure (why). It’s a bit puzzling.

“But that’s the way it’s probably been. I get there’s probably been a bit of expectation. We’ve probably been a little bit of a victim of what we’ve done.

“I am very critical of my team. I will always be very straight.

“I will never be critical of these players. If they lose games, they don’t lose it through a lack of fight and a lack of will and determination.

“That’s the way it is. We sit second in this division, three kids in this team from a category three academy.

“I think if any single person at the beginning of this season would have said we are going to get to March 8 and we are going to sit second in the division, we are going to have three young kids in the team – every single person would have bit their hand off. Including myself.

“But football is football and the world we are in is the world we are in and people forget that. People just see it for that and I understand that a little bit – that’s what we need to handle.”

Bournemouth, looking to bounce back from Saturday’s defeat at Preston, dominated possession in the first half but were wasteful in front of goal.

Christie curled wide and Nat Phillips blazed over from a corner while Philip Billing should have done better in the 27th minute when he smashed his shot high over the crossbar.

The home side were made to pay for their wastefulness when Joe Ward slid his pass through the legs of Lloyd Kelly for Marriott to fire into the bottom corner and make it 1-0.

It was 1-1 seven minutes into the second half as Christie finished neatly after driving into the penalty area.

It was the 70th goal Peterborough have conceded in the league this season but the closest Bournemouth came to a winner was Billing’s curling effort wide.

In fact it needed a heroic block from Kelly three minutes from time to keep out Joe Ward’s goal-bound effort and deny Peterborough a dramatic late winner.

Peterborough manager Grant McCann said: “I am pleased with the performance but disappointed with the result because one lapse of concentration cost us.

“To come here and hold our own against one of the top teams in the league is great for our confidence.

“We scored a great goal and limited them to only two shots on target. I am proud of the lads.

“Hopefully we can kick on now.”