March 14 AFC Bournemouth 4-0 Blackpool Att 10013

Last updated : 18 March 2015 By Andy Burton

As early as the 10th minute, the Cherries were off the mark as Pitman, on a solo run, similar to his second goal at Fulham, grabbed his first goal of the game as the home fans expectation of a rout were looking like a distinct possibility after just 10 minutes.

Blackpool tried to forray forward, but their attempts to do so lacked conviction, let alone any direction. Even now, Boruc is still waiting for a shot to save from the Blackpool front men.

The Cherries pressed forward, but had to be patient until the 36th minute when a close range header saw the Cherries, and Pitman, double the score for the afternoon. Then just 3 minutes later, Pugh set Up Pitman to bag his hat-trick, this time with his right foot, which meant that the Channel Islander had bagged a hat trick as well as 99th, 100th and 101st goals in a Cherries shirt!!

The second half, the Cherries were clearly easing up on Blackpool, allowing the Tangerines slightly more possession, but again any attempts at goal were way off target, and certainly didn't trouble Boruc.

The icing on the Cherries cake came just three minutes after the restart when Pugh was hacked to the floor, inside the penalty area, which Pitman made way for Wilson to take. He duely dispatched the kick, leaving the keeper no chance of saving, and the score comfortably up to 4-0. Was a total rout on the cards?

Sadly that wasn't to be as the Cherries appetite for goals seemed to evaporate slightly with few clear cut attempts being created.

As for man of the match ........ not exactly a tough one as Brett Pitman gets my nomination for his hat-trick.

AFCB: Boruc, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Ritchie, MacDonald, Surman, Pugh, Pitman, Wilson
Subs: Camp, Ward, O'Kane, Fraser, Smith (for Pugh, 62 mins), Stanislas (for Elphick, 63 mins), Rantie (for Wilson, 79 mins)

Andy Burton, Streatham Hill