A WAR of words erupted between Cherries and MK Dons over the build up and aftermath to Ryan Lowe’s X-rated tackle on Tommy Elphick.

MK Dons striker Lowe was sent off after lunging into a wild two-footed challenge on Cherries’ stand-in skipper in Saturday’s League One clash.

Cherries climbed to third in the table as goals from Lewis Grabban, Marc Pugh and Harry Arter handed them a routine 3-0 win at stadium:mk.

But Lowe’s red card overshadowed the result as Cherries defender Elphick was left facing a scan to assess the extent of damage to his knee.

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson condemned Lowe’s tackle and confirmed his club had fined the 34-year-old frontman – but he then pointed the finger at Cherries and accused them of goading Lowe as he left the field.

Robinson said: “I was disappointed with their players and the way they conducted themselves for large parts of the game.

“Elphick grabbed Ryan Lowe’s legs and grabbed him by the throat and didn’t get anything done to him. I heard one or two things that were said to Ryan Lowe as well as he was walking off. Just conduct yourself with a little bit more class.”

Lowe’s challenge on Elphick came after the pair had gone head to head as tempers flared following a clash earlier in the first half.

Goal hero Arter hit out at Lowe when he told the Daily Echo: “They were having a little bit of a spat before that.

“He said a few things to a few of our players that we weren’t happy with and we were disappointed that another fellow professional would say the stuff he was saying. But he then took it even further to do a silly tackle like that.”

Lowe, who admitted the challenge was “outrageous” in a post-match apology, said: “Things get said on and off the pitch. That is part and parcel of football. I am not going to sit here and hide the fact I committed a bad tackle and got sent off because I deserved to be sent off.”

Cherries boss Eddie Howe and defender Simon Francis labelled Lowe’s tackle “disgusting”.

Francis, one of the first players to confront Lowe after the incident, said: “I was furious because I knew he had been doing it beforehand. He had gone in late on Tom a couple of times and they had a tussle.

“I could see that tackle coming if I’m honest and there was no need for it. Whenever someone dives into a tackle like that with two feet, if anything it is a coward’s tackle.”

Lowe, meanwhile, looks set to receive an automatic three-match ban after an FA spokesperson confirmed he was unlikely to receive any extra punishment as referee Scott Mathieson dealt with the incident on the day.