JUNIOR Stanislas’s second-half strike sent Cherries back to the top of the Championship after a 1-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers at Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries star netted his sixth goal in as many games to put the Dorset club ahead of previous leaders Norwich on goal difference.

Stanislas’s winner came just four minutes after Wycombe’s Alex Pattison was sent off for a lunging challenge on midfielder Lewis Cook.

Manager Jason Tindall named an unchanged starting XI from the side who overcame Huddersfield Town 5-0 at home on Saturday.

The hosts welcomed back Joshua King to the bench after a back injury and Diego Rico was among the substitutes after serving a suspension.

Teenager Ajani Burchall was left out of the squad along with full-back Jordan Zemura.

Nnamdi Ofoborh and Gavin Kilkenny were part of Cherries’ squad, despite featuring for the under-21s earlier in the day.

Visitors Wycombe had not won in eight previous games heading into the encounter. Former Cherries keeper Ryan Allsop was named in the visitors’ line-up.

And it was Allsop who came to the rescue for the Chairboys after just four minutes. Stanislas whipped in a menacing free-kick from the right flank for the head of Cherries frontman Dominic Solanke.

The in-form striker guided an effort down to the near post, which Allsop managed to tip away diving to his left.

After Jack Simpson required treatment on a hand injury for Cherries, it was Wycombe’s turn to pose a threat.

A drilled cross from the right provided attacking midfielder Scott Kashket with a chance to turn goalwards, only for a vital sliding block from Steve Cook to deny him.

Cherries continued to surge forward, however. Adam Smith advanced from right wing-back and played in Lloyd Kelly, his deflected cross sat up for Jefferson Lerma to hammer into the stand. Philip Billing saw an effort gathered by Allsop soon after.

Tindall’s men continued to dominate possession but failed to find a way through in the opening 45 minutes.

Lewis Cook’s cross to the back post was headed into the path of Billing, who stung the palms of Allsop with a left-foot drive.

David Brooks then spotted the run of Stanislas and picked him out with a sublime reverse pass. The former West Ham man saw his strike across goal stabbed off the line by Wycombe’s Jason McCarthy.

It was Wycombe who created the first chance of the second period. McCarthy’s cross was headed back across goal by Akinfenwa, meaning Simpson had to hack the ball away from a dangerous area.

Steve Cook’s headed clearance then fell into the path of substitute Nick Freeman, who forced Asmir Begovic in the home goal to turn a shot around the post.

Stanislas sent a free-kick over the bar for Cherries before manager Tindall looked to change things from the bench. Billing was brought off with striker Sam Surridge coming on in his place.

But it was at the other end Cherries survived just past the hour mark.

After twisting and turning inside the box, Garath McCleary’s effort looked destined to nestle in the bottom corner – but for a sublime diving stop from Begovic.

The visitors were then reduced to 10 men when, after a corner was cleared to the edge to the box, Pattison lunged in on Lewis Cook and was given his marching orders by referee Matthew Donohue.

And Cherries made the extra man count just four minutes later. Sublime interplay between Brooks and Stanislas saw Cherries carve open the Wycombe backline.

Brooks kept his cool to then cut back from inside the area and Stanislas was on hand to tap home.

Lewis Cook then looked to seal the contest with a rasping right-foot effort from the edge of the box – Solanke looked to turn it in but Allsop was on hand to deny him.

Begovic then again came to the rescue for Cherries. The Bosnian saving Akinfenwa’s header from point-blank range after McCleary’s cross.

Stanislas and Surridge were then involved in a bizarre shoving match between each other after Surridge fired wide on the counter late on.

Cherries: Begovic, Smith, S Cook, Simpson, Kelly, Lerma, L Cook (Gosling, 81), Billing (Surridge, 60), Stanislas, Brooks (Rico, 81), Solanke (King, 81).

Unused subs: Ofoborh, Kilkenny, Riquelme, Anthony, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Billing

Wycombe: Allsop, Grimmer, Knight, McCarthy, Jacobson, Gape (Freeman, 44), Pattison, Wheeler, McCleary (Horgan, 80), Kashket (Onyedinma, 69), Akinfenwa (Ikpeazu, 80).

Unused subs: Charles, Bloomfield, Freeman, Mehmeti, Samuel, Stockdale (g/k).

Booked: McCarthy.

Sent off: Pattison.

Referee: Matthew Donohue.