In recent weeks the Cherries have been slow out of the blocks ...... no such hesitance this afternoon as the Cherries raced in to the lead when Ritchie swept home a Wilson centre as early as the 37th second!! Other early chances came and went early on to no avail.
In fact we had to wait until the 43rd minute for further goals when Arter curled a beauty around the outstretched Cardiff keeper, having been set up by Charlie Daniels.
Moments later Jones had a simple tap in as Le Fondre set him up having given Cook the slip.
The two goal advantage was restored when a deflected Marc Pugh shot looped over the keeper deep in to first half stoppage time.
HT: 3-1
The goal spree continued after the break when Morrison rose highest to reduce the deficit in the 47th minute. No sure what it is at the moment with defending crosses/set pieces, but we are conceeding too many at the moment!!
Then came one of the most bizarre incidents I've seen for a LONG time! A long ball forward had Wilson on the chase, but with the bounce of the ball, the keeper came charging out to obstruct the path of the ball. Even at the time of the incident the entire ground felt that the keeper handled outside the area!! The ref eventually had to stop the game to speak to his assistant on the near side of the pitch and then felt obliged to speak to the fourth official - what his role is/was ...... who knows! The outcome was that the ball was given back to Boruc and the Cardiff keeper managed to get away without seeing a red card!!
The two goal advantage was restored again when a peach of a free kick from Kermogant found the top left hand corner of the goal with the keeper no where!!
Was this going to be enough .......? Not a chance as Morrison managed to head home his second of the afternoon with 13 minutes left on the clock!!
Finally the killer blow came, with 3 points attached, came in the 88th minute with delightful through ball for Wilson to charge on to, rounding the keeper for the Cherries 5th of the afternoon.
With scores coming in from elsewhere, the 2-goal win meant that the Cherries went top having scored more than any other side in the top 4 divisions in England.
Andrew Surman
AFCB: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, Surman, Arter, Pugh, Pitman, Wilson
Subs: Camp, Stanislas, Fraser, O'Kane, Kermorgant (for Pitman, 59), Gosling (for Wilson, 90), Smith (for Ritchie, 94)
Andy Burton, Fratton