Bournemouth vs Millwall match report: Eddie Howe’s big day marred by Magaye Gueye

Bournemouth 2 Millwall 2

Eddie Howe (GETTY IMAGES)

At half-time, Eddie Howe must have been confident of celebrating his 37th birthday and his 300th game as a manager by taking Bournemouth to the top of the Championship.

Instead, his team squandered a two-goal lead and dropped to fourth place, Millwall substitute Magaye Gueye levelling late on.

Bournemouth have now drawn three successive games after winning seven in a row and Howe’s frustration was clear: “We had total control but for whatever reason we stopped doing all the good things.”

It had all started so brightly. Bournemouth defender Steve Cook nodded Andrew Surman’s cross home after 22 minutes and three minutes later Brett Pitman raced onto Matt Ritchie’s pass to double the lead.

Perhaps Bournemouth thought the match was won, perhaps it was the introduction of Ricardo Fuller, but Millwall were more dangerous in the second half, and Ed Upson headed in Jermaine Easter’s cross after 75 minutes.

Now Bournemouth were shredding their fans’ nerves as Artur Boruc spilled a header and Millwall’s Alan Dunne hit the bar. After Pitman and Junior Stanislas made a hash of a two-man breakaway, Gueye drove home the equaliser with two minutes remaining.

Bournemouth: (4-4-2) Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Surman, Artur (O’Kane, 64), Pugh (Stanislas, 61); Pitman, Kermorgant (Fraser, 78).

Millwall: (4-2-3-1) Forde: Dunne, Webster, Beevers (Fuller, h-t), Malone; Upson, Williams; Martin (Easter, 19), McDonald, Woolford (Gueye, 76); Gregory.

Referee: Andy Davies

Man of the match: McDonald (Millwall)

Match rating: 7/10