Saturday, 1st March 2014 at Goldsands Stadium, Bournemouth
Sky Bet League Championship
AFC Bournemouth 5 Doncaster Rovers 0
Referee - Mr Darren Sheldrake
Attendance - 8,983 (398 visitors)
A fine warm, sunny day dawned at Bournemouth as Rovers prepared to face their promotion companions of last season.
Rovers made two changes from last week, with Tamas replacing Quinn and Furman coming in for the injured Duffy.
The home team got the game underway and spent the early minutes in the Rovers half culminating in Arter, in the 4th minute, crossing from the left for Kermorgant, about 12 yards out, getting in a header but straight at Johnstone, who saved comfortably.
Bournemouth continued to press but in the 11th minute Rovers attacked down their right and following a throw in the ball was laid back to Furman, who hit a twenty five yarder well wide of the far post.
On the quarter hour, Fraser cut in from the left, got the luck of the rebound when tackled and hit a fierce drive from an angle that Johnstone blocked at the near post at the expense of a corner.
Five minutes later and Fraser was played in on goal but Khumalo chased him down and blocked the shot for another corner to the home team, which came out to Harte, on the edge of the area. Hrifled in a terrific shot that Johnstone brilliantly tipped over the bar.
Bournemouth were having the better of the play and, following a free kick, Kermorgant, at the far post headed back to the middle for Ritchie to hammer in a shot that cannoned off a defender for a corner.
In the 26th minute the home team took the lead when KERMORGANT received the ball in the Rovers penalty area about ten yards to the right of goal and fired low into the net at the far post.
Bournemouth were faster on the ball and, bossing the midfield, were constantly feeding their forwards.
In the 39th minute, Husband, on the Rovers left, crossed for Furman, who put wide of the far post.
Three minutes later and Fraser had only Johnstone to beat from 15yards but the keeper parried the ball out for a corner.
The home side increased their score in the 44th minute when Rovers failed to clear the ball on their left flank. Francis was able to collect the ball and cross to the middle where KERMORGANT headed in from close range.
Immediately following the restart a long ball out of the home defence for Grabban to chase down led to him getting the better of Khumalo but his effort on goal was pushed out for a corner by Johnstone.
Half Time - Bournemouth 2 Doncaster Rovers 0
Rovers made a double substitution at half time, with Robinson and Cotterill replacing Bowery and Furman.
The first five minutes were evenly contested, then out of the blue, Bournemouth added a third goal in the 50th minute when ARTER received just outside the penalty area and rifled in a low shot just inside the post.
Rovers were showing more attacking intentions this half and were having a fair portion of the play without getting any clear sight of goal.
Then, in the 73rd minute, Francis on the right again got the rub of the green to get in a cross for KERMOGANT to head in his hat-trick goal.
Minutes later a high cross from Tamas into the home six-yard box and a misunderstanding between Camp and his defenders let Cotterill head for goal but Camp saved.
In the 80th minute, a good build-up by Rovers ended with Coppinger firing over from 25yards.
Two minutes later however, following a corner, ARTER shot in from the edge of the penalty area to make it five for Bournemouth.
It could have been more as the home team continued to attack, with Ritchie shooting over the bar and Rantie hitting a shot wide.
Result - Bournemouth 5 ( Kermorgant 26 44 73 Arter 50 82) Doncaster Rovers 0
Teams - Bournemouth - Lee Camp; Simon Francis, Steve Cook, Ian Harte, Tommy Elphick (c), Lewis Grabban, Yann Kermorgant, Matt Ritchie, Harry Arter, Ryan Fraser, Andrew Surman
Subs used - Tokelo Rantie for Kermorgant; Marc Pugh for Fraser 76 mins; Mohamed Coulibaly for Grabban 83 mins;
Subs not used - Adam Smith, Brett Pitman, Eunan O'Kane, Ryan Allsop gk
ROVERS - Sam Johnstone; Gabriel Tamas, Bongani Khumalo, Abdoulaye Meite, James Husband; James Coppinger, Richie Wellens (c), Paul Keegan, Dean Furman; Chris Brown, Jordan Bowery
Subs used - Theo Robinson for Bowery 46 mins; David Cotterill for Furman 46 mins; ;
Subs not used - Luke McCullough, Marc de Val, Alex Peterson, Enda Stevens, Jon Maxted gk
Cautions - Keegan 24 mins; Tamas 59 mins; Khumalo 64 mins;