YESTERDAY was a day for exorcising some ghosts of Dean Court past.

Just like they had in August 1987, the club’s first season in the second flight, Eddie Howe’s class of 2013 ensured Cherries would kick off life back in the Championship with a victory.

And for Cherries supporters with long memories, this deserved win probably went some way to banishing the nightmare of the day Leeds United came to town and a minority of their followers wrecked it.

The fateful May Bank Holiday of 1990 ended in tears in more ways than one, with Cherries’ relegation confirmed following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Yorkshire outfit.

It signalled the start of a decline which would see the club lurch from one crisis to another during a worrying period when financial meltdown lurked around every dark corner.

For 12 long and mostly lean years, Cherries became part of the furniture in the third tier until another relegation in 2002 condemned them to the basement.

Despite bouncing back at the first attempt and flirting with the play-offs a couple of times, money problems again reared their head when a points deduction in 2008 resulted in them falling through the trapdoor.

The seeds for the club’s recent successes were sewn during and after one of the most tumultuous seasons in Cherries’ history – 2008-09.

Director Adam Murry’s masterstroke in appointing rookie Howe as manager was followed by the Bournemouth businessman persuading Eddie Mitchell to join forces with him to buy the club.

And while there may have been a few lows over the past four years, Cherries followers have now probably never had it so good thanks to the Greatest Escape, two promotions and a stadium and team to be proud of.

Championship, you’re having a ball!

Cherries boss Howe said: “The crowd and the atmosphere were really good and I can’t thank the Bournemouth people enough for that. It really helped the team and, even when we conceded, there was still a positive feeling around the ground.”

While 23 years of hurt may have been eased following victory over Charlton, Lewis Grabban ended a 14-match search for a goal to send home happy Cherries’ biggest crowd for a league game since February 1999.

The striker emphatically drew a line under his drought by netting a superb double, his stunning second-half clincher even drawing praise from Addicks boss Chris Powell who described it as “magic”.

Powell, who led Charlton to ninth in the Championship last season, had been hoping to gatecrash Cherries’ party and Yann Kermorgant’s clinical equaliser threatened to act as a spoiler.

However, after heading the hosts into a first-half lead, Grabban raised the roof at Dean Court when his thunderous strike settled the issue after 66 minutes, a memorable way to register Cherries’ 100th home goal at this level.

“It was a really good start in so many ways,” said Howe. “Most importantly, we had to deal with the setback of conceding and that was a real test of our character. Thankfully, the lads fought again and got the second goal. I thought we deserved it and, hopefully, everyone left happy.

“I won my first game with Burnley last season and everyone was sky high and talking about the Premier League. I can’t remember what we did after that but it wasn’t very good. We have got to make sure we keep our feet firmly on the floor.”

Another player to have gained some closure against the Addicks would have been Wes Thomas, who looked certain to be heading out of Dean Court following an unsettling 12 months.

But having publicly committed himself to the cause during an interview with the Daily Echo last month, the striker let his feet do the talking and was nothing short of a revelation.

With Harry Arter and Shaun MacDonald bossing the central midfield exchanges and Cherries adopting their normal high-tempo pressing game, Charlton were often forced to take a direct approach.

This played into Cherries’ hands with central defensive pair Elliott Ward and Steve Cook commanding in the air, while a stoic all-round defensive effort ensured goalkeeper Ryan Allsop was rarely troubled.

The contest burst to life when Cherries broke the deadlock after Grabban cushioned a header past Charlton goalkeeper Ben Hamer in the 26th minute, with Arter providing the assist.

Rejuvenated Thomas went close to doubling their lead when he nipped in front of Hamer to meet Marc Pugh’s cross, only to prod his shot wide, before Grabban twice tried his luck from distance. And as Cherries continued to fashion chances, Thomas’s venomous 20-yarder just cleared the crossbar.

Kermorgant, however, sent the travelling supporters into raptures when he rifled an unstoppable volley past Allsop three minutes after the break, a bitter and ill-deserved blow for Cherries.

Ryan Fraser, on as a replacement for the injured Mo Coulibaly, drew a sharp save from Hamer after letting fly from 20 yards as Cherries looked to regain the lead.

And it was mission accomplished midway through the second half when Grabban found space before despatching his 25-yard ripsnorter past Hamer.

Charlie Daniels saw his free-kick flash past the upright before Ward cleared off the line from a Bradley Pritchard header as an absorbing contest drew to a close.

Pritchard blotted his copybook when he was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Fraser eight minutes from time, a decision both managers felt had been fully justified

STAR MAN - STEVE COOK

Eddie Howe’s decision to select Elliott Ward ahead of club captain Tommy Elphick shows just how fierce competition for places is going to be this season.

Cook responded exactly as Howe would have intended and turned in an accomplished and unflustered display at the heart of the Cherries defence.

The second youngest player in the starting line-up was a tower of strength in the air as Charlton relied heavily on pumping high balls into targetman Yann Kermorgant.

Cook also made good use of the ball when in possession and was strong in the tackle, winning this week’s award in the face of some fierce competition.

Lewis Grabban’s match-winning double and all-round display made him a leading contender, while Shaun MacDonald was also in the frame after bossing the midfield. And if prizes were awarded for effort and work-rate, Wes Thomas would have needed a wheelbarrow to take his home.

MATCH FACTS AND DAILY ECHO MERIT MARKS

Cherries: Allsop 7.5, Francis 7.5, Ward 8, Cook 9, Daniels 8, Coulibaly 7 (Fraser, 55), Arter 8.5, MacDonald 8.5, Pugh 7.5, Grabban 9 (Pitman, 90), Thomas 8 (Surman, 85). Unused subs: Elphick, O’Kane, Harte, Flahavan (g/k).

Booked: Arter.

Addicks: Hamer, Solly, Morrison, Dervite, Wiggins, Pritchard, Gower (Stephens, 77), Hughes (Green, 77), Harriott, Sordell (Church, 65), Kermorgant. Unused subs: Evina, Cort, Wilson, Pope.

Sent off: Pritchard.

Referee: Andy D’Urso (Essex).

Attendance: 10,108 (including 1,421 away supporters)..