AFC Bournemouth cruise past relegation candidates Leeds United

Jefferson Lerma’s first-half double sent Cherries on their way, although their two-goal advantage did not last long, Patrick Bamford halving the margin shortly after the hosts’ second.

Dominic Solanke put Cherries back ahead by two on 65 minutes, before substitute Antoine Semenyo made sure of the result in stoppage time.

Victory leaves Cherries 10 points clear of the bottom three with four games remaining.

With little opportunity for rest and recovery following their 1-0 win at rivals Southampton, head coach Gary O’Neil made two changes to the side.

Both were enforced by hamstring issues, Thursday’s goalscorer Marcus Tavernier and defender Chris Mepham dropping out the squad.

In their stead came Dango Ouattara and Marcos Senesi, with Jack Stephens available again on the bench.

Jack Stacey was named in a matchday 20 for the first time since February, the defender left out of the previous eight fixtures.

The away side enjoyed the lion share of possession early on, but were unable to carve Cherries open.

Confusion reigned when Matias Vina seemingly handled inside his own box. Initially no decision was reached, before Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot.

A VAR check proved that any handball had occurred outside the area, the resultant free-kick from Marc Roca palmed away by Neto in the Cherries goal.

Leeds’ spell of control on the game waned, allowing Cherries to get forward with more regularity.

They would find an opener on 20 minutes.

Solanke was first forced wide inside the box whilst on the ball, the striker cutting the ball back to Phil Billing.

Whilst the Dane’s initial effort was well blocked, there was no Leeds defender in sight as Lerma arrived on the edge of the area, curling home the rebound into the far corner.

The Colombian was just as open for his second goal four minutes later.

A Cherries corner was not caught by Whites keeper Illan Meslier, instead the Frenchman palming the ball out to Lerma.

Again the midfielder capitalised upon the opportunity, firing home his fifth goal of the campaign.

The quick-fire double was quickly tempered by the away side, who reduced the deficit just after the half-hour mark.

Willy Gnonto’s curling ball from the left-flank allowed Bamford to float between Lloyd Kelly and Vina, the one-time England international heading in effortlessly.

Both sides quietened before the half-time break, Leeds flying out of the blocks at the restart.

Luke Ayling’s in-swinging cross looked troublesome, with Gnonto inches away from connecting with it.

Despite Leeds’ desperation get back into the game, it would be Cherries who would produce the game’s next goal.

A long ball over the top found Dango Ouattara, who in turn managed to move possession towards the Leeds penalty area and Solanke.

At a tight angle, Solanke fired across goal, using the inside of the post to help the ball over the line.

The Whites frequently tested Cherries at corners, although they were always repelled.

Cherries had goalkeeper Neto to thank, the Brazilian most notably denying Robin Koch’s initial header before pushing away Gnonto’s effort on the rebound.

Substitute Kieffer Moore could have sealed it with his side’s fourth, the Welshman flashing a header over despite being unmarked.

It would be his final contribution to the game, injury enforcing his replacement by Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghanian would get on the scoresheet, supplied by fellow substitute Jaidon Anthony to fire past Meslier in stoppage time.

Cherries: Neto, Smith, Senesi, Kelly, Vina (Anthony, 62); Rothwell (Cook, 73), Lerma, Billing (Moore, 62 (Semenyo, 83)); Ouattara, Solanke (Stacey, 89), Christie.

Unused subs: Travers (g/k), Stephens, Brooks, Zabarnyi.

Booked: Smith.

Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Cooper (Wober, 34), Kristensen; Summerville, Roca, McKennie (Forshaw, 71), Harrison; Gnonto, Bamford (Rodrigo, 71) .

Unused subs: Robles (g/k), Firpo, Aaronson, Struijk, Rutter, Greenwood.

Referee: Christopher Kavanagh.

VAR: Craig Pawson.