CHERRIES collapsed to their fourth defeat on the spin in spectacular fashion, squandering a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 to Leeds United in a bonfire night bonanza.

Cherries had produced arguably their best display under O’Neil for the first hour at Elland Road, leading 3-1 through goals from Marcus Tavernier, Philip Billing and Dominic Solanke, after Rodrigo’s early penalty.

But there were plenty of fireworks still to come as Leeds roared back, initially through a Sam Greenwood rocket, before Liam Cooper levelled the contest.

Then, with six minutes to play, Crysencio Summerville bagged for the third game in succession to break Cherries’ hearts.

Gary O’Neil made one change to the XI which started last weekend’s 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, where his side had led 2-0. Ryan Fredericks returned to the side, with Jordan Zemura dropping to the bench.

Leeds were unchanged and, fresh off their stunning win against Liverpool, got off to a blistering start, earning a penalty inside the opening minute.

Summerville ran onto a ball in the box, with his pace catching Marcos Senesi out, who tripped the Dutchman.

Up stepped Rodrigo, calmly rolling the ball in, sending Mark Travers the wrong way, to send Elland Road wild.

But the ground was quickly silenced as Cherries hit back with their first meaningful attack in the eighth minute.

Billing, operating from the right, clipped a cross in towards Kieffer Moore. Robin Koch got his head to it, but the ball fell kindly to an unmarked Tavernier at the back post, who caressed a volley past Illan Meslier. It was the Leeds-born star’s first goal for Cherries, since joining from Middlesbrough over the summer.

Meslier reacted well to push away a Dominic Solanke dink shortly after, before Pascal Struijk had to be well-placed to head Jefferson Lerma’s header off the line.

Tavernier was causing havoc down the left flank, so it came as no surprise to see him heavily involved in the goal which put Cherries in front.

He raced onto a ball over the top, breezing past full-back Rasmus Kristensen. Meslier stood up well to save the initial shot, but Tavernier recovered the loose ball, before teeing up Billing to slam home his fourth goal of the campaign.

Leeds had no response and were fortunate to be just one goal behind at half-time.

Meslier first had to be alert to charge out of goal and deny Lerma, after Tavernier had led a pacy counter-attack.

Then striker Moore squandered a huge opportunity, fluffing his lines when the ball fell to his feet in the middle of the penalty area.

Jesse Marsch made a switch at half-time, with Wilfried Gnonto coming on to replace ineffectual winger Jack Harrison.

But it made little difference initially as Cherries quickly extended their lead. Tavernier found space down the left to break forwards, before delivering a low cross for Solanke. The striker showed his quick-thinking, brilliantly flicking an effort past his marker and into the bottom corner, giving Meslier no chance.

There was one downside soon to come for Cherries as Chris Mepham received a card on his 25th birthday from Tony Harrington, a yellow one for fouling Rodrigo. It earns him a one-game suspension, having now notched up five bookings this season.

But there was soon a more urgent concern for the visitors as Leeds halved the deficit. Mepham blocked a Struijk shot, but the ball came out for substitute Greenwood, who brilliantly curled into the top corner past Travers.

Elland Road was suddenly rocking again. Rodrigo found space in the box, cutting back onto his right foot, before firing a shot over the bar.

And the comeback was soon complete. Set-pieces again proved to be Cherries’ downfall as Greenwood delivered a corner deep to the back post, which was met by captain Cooper, who got above Adam Smith to power a header in beyond the grasp of Travers.

O’Neil turned to his bench for the first time, introducing Jack Stacey in place of Fredericks. And it almost paid instant dividends, the full-back finding space in the box and aiming towards the far corner, but the shot flashed just wide of the post.

But earlier misses proved costly as Leeds completed the comeback. Cook’s free-kick was headed clear, with Gnonto using his pace to run at Stacey, before slipping a ball through for Summerville.

The 21-year-old showed his composure, clinically slamming in to leave Cherries still having lost every game at Elland Road in the club’s history.

Leeds: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Adams, Roca (Greenwood, 54); Harrison (Gnonto, h-t), Aaronson (Ayling, 86), Summerville; Rodrigo (Gelhardt, 81).

Unused subs: Firpo, Llorente, Klich, Joseph, Klaesson (g/k).

Booked: Kristensen, Gelhardt.

Cherries: Travers; Fredericks (Stacey, 73), Mepham, Senesi (Stanislas, 88), Smith; Cook, Lerma; Billing (Rothwell, 88), Solanke, Tavernier; Moore.

Unused subs: Stephens, Zemura, Pearson, Christie, Anthony, Plain (g/k).

Booked: Lerma, Mepham.

Referee: Tony Harrington.

VAR: Simon Hooper.

Attendance: 36,304.