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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
JORDAN ZEMURA’S Bournemouth broke their club record of unbeaten matches, to the start of a season, when they beat Reading 2-0 in an away assignment in the English Championship football on Saturday.
The Cherries, as the club are affectionately known, broke their record unbeaten start to the season, which was set during the 1961-62 campaign.
They also moved closer to the all-time record, which was set by Brighton & Hove, when they started off the season with a 22-match unbeaten run, during the 2015/2016 season.
However, the Cherries will be hoping for a good ending, to the campaign, compared to what happened to Brighton.
Despite their flying start to that campaign, during the 2015/2016 season, Brighton failed to gain promotion into the English Premiership. Bournemouth are dreaming of a Premier League return and have been ruthless in the way they have been conducting their business.
Zimbabwe international Zemura has been one of their star players in this campaign with the Cherries defence the rock on which the club have been building their early success.
Under new manager, Scott Parker, Bournemouth are yet to lose a game and have conceded just eight goals this season.
They faced a stern examination at Reading on Saturday but they still had enough to win the match with their defence again outstanding.
The Cherries took the lead, shortly before half-time, when Dominic Solanke headed in his 11th league goal of the season, in the 43rd minute.
Substitute Jamal Lowe (59th minute) doubled their lead, after the restart, with a cool finish just three minutes after his introduction.
Zemura is enjoying a fine start to life in the senior team, after graduating from the development side, last season.
He played 70 minutes, before he was pulled out, and had a decent match.
The Zimbabwean has been heavily involved in the defensive duties at left back and has also chipped in with some beautiful goals.
His regular thrusts, into the opponents goal area, have provided the Cherries with a striking dimension which has troubled the sides they have faced.
Parker told Sky Sports there is no bad win.
‘’It was a professional performance, really,’’ he said.
“We knew the challenge we faced here against a very good side, certainly with the ball. “I thought we had to be professional, it wasn’t clean at times, but sometimes you need to go and win games and move on, really.
“I thought we did that, to a man.
“There were some wounded bodies out there, towards the end, but we were clinical in our moments.
“Overall, I’m pleased with the performance because, like I said, sometimes you need to go and win games — and tonight was a game we needed to get out of here and win.
“We did that very well.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean internationals, Macauley Bonne and Brendan Galloway, were involved in a cracking head-to-head clash at Home Park on Saturday.
Galloway’s Plymouth Argyle came from behind to beat Ipswich Town 2-1.
The Warriors defender was withdrawn in time added on.
Bonne, who is on Warriors coach Norman Mapeza’s radar, was involved in a number of attacks for Ipswich Town.
And, with a bit of luck, he could have been rewarded with a goal.
George Edmundson gave the visitors the lead in the 14th minute.
But, Luke Jephcott levelled a minute before the break and Joel Grant, five minutes after the restart.
The Blues missed a number of chances to get a point with Bonne one of those who had an opportunity to level terms.
According to Plymouth Live, as the teams came out, both sets of fans, at a sell-out 16 087 Home Park crowd including 1 513 Blues — Plymouth’s biggest attendance since 2008 — took part in a display paying tribute to Paul Mariner.
He was a legend at both clubs.
Prior to kick-off, there was a minute’s applause for the former England striker, who died in July, aged 68.
Online Reporter