Soccer
Ryan Christie hat-trick helps Bournemouth cruise past Lincoln
Ryan Christie scored a hat-trick to fire Marco Rose to his first win as Bournemouth manager as the Cherries beat Sky Bet Championship Lincoln 4-0.
The Scotland international starred for the hosts with goals in the seventh, 69th and 88th minutes for his second career hat-trick, with Rayan stepping off the bench to wrap up the Carabao Cup third-round victory in stoppage time.
Rose made eight changes, including handing a debut to on-loan Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and a first start for Uruguayan striker Alvaro Rodriguez.
Only Ryley Towler kept his place from Lincoln’s 1-1 draw at home to Southampton as the two sides met for the first time since 2010 when they were both in League Two.
Lincoln started brightly, but it was Bournemouth who opened the scoring after just seven minutes when Christie finished neatly at the near post from Ben Gannon-Doak’s cross.
The lively Gannon-Doak then saw an effort blocked by Towler after cutting in from the left wing and shooting right-footed.
Di Gregorio was called into action for the first time after 22 minutes, keeping out Dan Oyegoke’s flick before Towler blazed over from the rebound.
Lincoln goalkeeper Joe Gauci made a smart save to deny Bafode Diakite after the defender had headed a long throw goalwards.
James Hill then fired over from distance as Bournemouth went hunting for a second goal. Six minutes before half-time Cherries left-back Julio Soler curled wide from 25 yards after David Brooks’ corner had been only half cleared.
Hill also had a shot from the edge of the penalty deflected behind for a corner before Christie’s 20-yard curler was palmed away by Gauci with the last kick of the first half.
Rose will be frustrated to have picked up just two points from his first three Premier League games after conceding late goals against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle.
His side almost doubled their lead five minutes into the second half when Gannon-Doak’s curling effort glanced off the head of Rodriguez and flew just over the crossbar.
Scotland international Gannon-Doak then ballooned another long-range effort over in the 55th minute.
Hill came close to picking out the top corner with a 25-yard piledriver which smacked against the angle of post and crossbar.
Rodriguez had another good chance to open his Bournemouth account moments later but slipped as he went to shoot from the edge of the box and fired high into the stands.
The £21million Rodriguez later headed inches wide from Hill’s cross as he endured a frustrating full debut.
Christie showed Rodriguez the route to goal 21 minutes from time by heading in Brooks’ corner at the far post.
The Scotland midfielder completed his treble in the 88th minute with a deflected shot from 14 yards out after being teed up by Diakite.
Rayan made it 4-0 in stoppage time with a tidy finish from the corner of the six-yard box.
