AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe praised attacker Lewis Grabban after the striker scored a hat-trick in the Cherries 4-1 victory over Oldham.
The first half was a tight affair where both teams enjoyed periods of possession and good play only to then fail to create inside the final third or waste possession.
In the second half the Cherries started with a much higher tempo and after less than ten minutes, Lewis Grabban struck not once but twice to put the home side two goals ahead.
The Cherries continued to pile forward at pace with Simon Francis and Josh McQuoid working well down the right flank and Charlie Daniels and Marc Pugh working well down the left.
On 70 minutes Harry Arter was brought down inside the box and stepped up to take the penalty himself. Trying to disguise where he was going to place the ball Arter took a straight run up and then opened up to slot it to the ‘keepers left, it was well saved only for Grabban to slot home the rebound for his first career hat-trick.
The Cherries final goal came from a well worked Marc Pugh free kick from the byline, with Charlie Daniels scoring a spectacular diving header.
Howe told BBC Radio Solent…
‘It was a slow start. I think it was a little bit bitty first half but I think the pleasing thing from my perspective was we weren’t at our best, but we didn’t concede and came in level at half time.
‘We were desperate for that first goal and when it came it was great. It was right at the start of the second half, it picked the crowd up and from that point on we looked quite comfortable.
‘I thought Lewis Grabban took his goals really well. I thought the second goal especially was a great finish.’
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