Bournemouth v Middlesbrough
Bournemouth leapfrogged Middlesbrough to return to the top of the Championship table after a dominant victory over their promotion rivals.
The Cherries now hold a one-point advantage over Watford with Yann Kermorgant's penalty, Harry Arter's stunning strike and a further spot-kick from Brett Pitman sealing victory.
It was a return to winning ways for the Cherries with seven games to go.
Boro, who failed to register a single shot on target, slipped to third.
Kermorgant's first-minute free-kick, which forced a save from Dimi Konstantopoulos, set the tone for the opening 45 minutes at the Goldsands Stadium with the hosts completely dominating.
The recalled striker fired home from the spot after Tomas Kalas hauled down Callum Wilson in the area following a fine long ball from Arter.
Konstantopoulos was busy throughout the first half keeping out efforts from Kermorgant and Matt Ritchie, while Wilson was also proving a menace up front.
The Cherries almost doubled their lead shortly after the restart when Tommy Elphick's close-range header from Ritchie's free-kick was superbly kept out.
Bournemouth did make it 2-0 shortly afterwards, Arter grabbing his second goal in a week with another stunning strike from distance.
Ritchie blazed over from close range on the hour following an earlier defensive calamity from Boro while Kike found the net with a header after 65 minutes but he was ruled offside.
Substitute Pitman's disputed penalty made it 3-0 after Arter went down in the box.
Boro forward Patrick Bamford, anonymous throughout, floated a late free-kick on to the roof of Artur Boruc's goal in what was the closest Middlesbrough came to scoring.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe:
"That's as well as we have played when you consider the opposition we were up against.
"We defended very well and limited them to half chances and with the ball we were excellent so it's been a really good day. We fully deserved the win.
"Psychologically it gives us a boost knowing we've beaten one of the best sides in the division and it should serve us well hopefully in the remaining games."
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka:
"Today we had all the things against us. The penalties, for me, are unbelievable.
"I can understand mistakes because everyone makes mistakes, but I can't understand behaviours. For example, when we had a disallowed goal the linesman was laughing.
"I knew it was going to be a very difficult game, because we played against one of the best teams in the league."
"It was going to be difficult and then I started to see the mistakes we made, especially in the first half. Then I started to feel the referee's decisions."
Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (6)
AFC Bournemouth
- 31 Boruc
- 02 Francis
- 05 Elphick
- 03 Cook
- 11 Daniels
- 30 Ritchie (Smith - 65' )
- 08 Arter Booked
- 06 Surman
- 07 Pugh
- 18 Kermorgant (Pitman - 61' )
- 13 Wilson (Rantie - 90' )
Substitutes
- 01 Camp
- 09 Rantie
- 10 Pitman
- 15 Smith
- 16 MacDonald
- 20 Fraser
- 22 Ward
Middlesbrough
- 13 Konstantopoulos
- 24 Nsue Lopez Booked (Forshaw - 55' )
- 26 Kalas
- 06 Gibson
- 03 Friend
- 07 Leadbitter (Whitehead - 79' )
- 08 Clayton Booked (Garcia Martinez - 55' )
- 20 Reach
- 10 Tomlin
- 27 Adomah
- 23 Bamford
Substitutes
- 09 Garcia Martinez
- 12 Ripley
- 18 Whitehead
- 21 Vossen
- 22 Omeruo
- 33 Wildschut
- 34 Forshaw
Live Text Commentary
Full Time Match ends, Bournemouth 3, Middlesbrough 0.
90:00 +4:10 Full timeFull Time Second Half ends, Bournemouth 3, Middlesbrough 0.
90:00 +2:23Marc Pugh went off injured after Bournemouth had used all subs.
90:00 +1:02Foul by Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough).
90:00 +1:02Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89:48Delay over. They are ready to continue.
89:45 SubstitutionSubstitution Substitution, Bournemouth. Tokelo Rantie replaces Callum Wilson because of an injury.
88:14Delay in match Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) because of an injury.
86:49Attempt missed. Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
85:43Adam Forshaw (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
85:43Foul by Andrew Surman (Bournemouth).
85:21Foul by Tommy Elphick (Bournemouth).
85:21Kike (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
84:57Attempt missed. Brett Pitman (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Adam Smith.
83:38Adam Smith (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
83:38Foul by Adam Reach (Middlesbrough).
82:22Foul by Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough).
82:22Charlie Daniels (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
81:25Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
81:25Foul by Harry Arter (Bournemouth).
Attempt missed. Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the right.
78:35 SubstitutionSubstitution Substitution, Middlesbrough. Dean Whitehead replaces Grant Leadbitter.
77:09Brett Pitman (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
77:09Foul by Tomas Kalas (Middlesbrough).
73:55 Goal scoredGoal! Goal! Bournemouth 3, Middlesbrough 0. Brett Pitman (Bournemouth) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
73:06Penalty Bournemouth. Harry Arter draws a foul in the penalty area.
73:06Penalty conceded by Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough) after a foul in the penalty area.
72:32Adam Smith (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
72:32Foul by George Friend (Middlesbrough).
69:52Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Lee Tomlin.
68:25Delay over. They are ready to continue.
67:27Delay in match Artur Boruc (Bournemouth) because of an injury.
66:36Offside, Middlesbrough. Lee Tomlin tries a through ball, but Kike is caught offside.
66:24Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Steve Cook.
64:59 SubstitutionSubstitution Substitution, Bournemouth. Adam Smith replaces Matt Ritchie.
60:50Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Steve Cook.
60:17 SubstitutionSubstitution Substitution, Bournemouth. Brett Pitman replaces Yann Kermorgant.
59:44Attempt missed. Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Charlie Daniels with a cross.
58:21Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Simon Francis.
56:03 BookingBooking Harry Arter (Bournemouth) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
56:00Foul by Harry Arter (Bournemouth).
56:00Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
54:39 SubstitutionSubstitution Substitution, Middlesbrough. Kike replaces Adam Clayton.
54:30 SubstitutionSubstitution Substitution, Middlesbrough. Adam Forshaw replaces Emilio Nsue Lopez.
52:57Attempt blocked. Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Grant Leadbitter.
52:12Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
52:12Foul by Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough).
51:55Foul by Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).
51:55Emilio Nsue Lopez (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
51:22Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Tommy Elphick.
47:08 Goal scoredGoal! Goal! Bournemouth 2, Middlesbrough 0. Harry Arter (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Marc Pugh.
45:50Attempt saved. Tommy Elphick (Bournemouth) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Ritchie with a cross.
45:23Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
45:23Foul by Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough).
45:00Second Half begins Bournemouth 1, Middlesbrough 0.
45:00 +1:05 Half timeHalf Time First Half ends, Bournemouth 1, Middlesbrough 0.
45:00 +0:44Foul by Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth).
45:00 +0:44George Friend (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
44:11Attempt missed. Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Simon Francis with a cross.
43:38 BookingBooking Emilio Nsue Lopez (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
43:22Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
43:22Foul by Emilio Nsue Lopez (Middlesbrough).
42:12Attempt missed. Harry Arter (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
41:17Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Grant Leadbitter.
40:03Attempt missed. Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Yann Kermorgant.
36:14 BookingBooking Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
36:07Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
36:07Foul by Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough).
35:34Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Charlie Daniels.
34:02Corner, Middlesbrough. Conceded by Tommy Elphick.
33:03Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Tomas Kalas.
32:37Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Adam Reach.
31:29Attempt missed. Simon Francis (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Andrew Surman.
30:27Attempt saved. Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Callum Wilson.
26:59Attempt saved. Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner.
25:51Attempt blocked. Harry Arter (Bournemouth) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Callum Wilson.
24:43Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Tomas Kalas.
23:49Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
23:49Foul by Tomas Kalas (Middlesbrough).
21:23Foul by Andrew Surman (Bournemouth).
21:23Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
20:32Attempt missed. Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Matt Ritchie.
18:41Attempt missed. Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Andrew Surman.
18:04Marc Pugh (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
18:04Foul by Emilio Nsue Lopez (Middlesbrough).
15:24Foul by Simon Francis (Bournemouth).
15:24Adam Reach (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick on the left wing.
13:37Attempt missed. Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
12:29Offside, Bournemouth. Matt Ritchie tries a through ball, but Yann Kermorgant is caught offside.
11:35 Goal scoredGoal! Goal! Bournemouth 1, Middlesbrough 0. Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
10:55Penalty Bournemouth. Callum Wilson draws a foul in the penalty area.
10:55Penalty conceded by Tomas Kalas (Middlesbrough) after a foul in the penalty area.
10:28Andrew Surman (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
10:28Foul by Patrick Bamford (Middlesbrough).
5:43Hand ball by Callum Wilson (Bournemouth).
4:04Offside, Bournemouth. Matt Ritchie tries a through ball, but Callum Wilson is caught offside.
3:12Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) wins a free kick on the left wing.
3:12Foul by Tomas Kalas (Middlesbrough).
1:51Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
1:51Foul by Harry Arter (Bournemouth).
1:23Attempt saved. Yann Kermorgant (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
0:29Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
0:29Foul by George Friend (Middlesbrough).
0:00First Half begins.
0:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
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