WWHAT a difference a week makes.

Seven days ago, following Cherries' 2-1 reverse at League One relegation rivals Gillingham, the majority, and even the most ardent of supporters, had all but condemned Kevin Bond's men to the drop.

Seven days later and nine points all of sudden looks a decidedly easier gap to close than the 12 before it, thanks largely to Crewe's inability to turn over Luton Town.

Yes, Cherries still have a mountain to climb, still have to make the trips to Swansea and Walsall and still have to bring the curtain down on a torrid season against high-flying Carlisle at Dean Court.

All of which, coupled with the 10-point administration deduction, makes life in League Two look all the more likely come the first weekend in May.

But, after notching up their fourth straight home win in the league for the first time in four years, Cherries' apparent refusal to accept their fate is winning many new admirers and impressing all who walk through the Dean Court turnstiles.

And, individually, not one player was more impressive than David Forde on a wet and windy afternoon at Dean Court.

While Maxi Gradel starred once again at the attacking end of the field, it was Forde who displayed the kind of form between the sticks that alerted Bond back in February.

The Cardiff loan man, signed by Bond for the remainder of the season late last week, produced several magical saves even before he gloved away Neil Harris's penalty just after the hour mark, referee Paul Melin harshly pointing to the spot after Shaun Cooper's innocuous challenge on former Cherries loan star Jem Karacan.

And once Gradel had slotted home his own effort from 12 yards, following Paul Robinson's blatant push on striker Sam Vokes, the Ivorian's sublime solo effort in the dying moments, as glorious as it was, was hardly required to get the better of a lacklustre Lions side lacking any real punch up front.

With Josh Gowling returning to Cherries' back four, youngster Billy Franks dropped to the bench despite an assured showing on debut against Tranmere on Easter Monday.

Vokes, albeit clearly fatigued following his international exploits in Bosnia on Wednesday night, returned to spearhead Cherries' attack alone in the absence of Jo Kuffour.

And as the rain lashed down at a dismal Dean Court, the first half was in perfect harmony with the weather.

Shaun Cooper's free kick after two minutes failed to trouble Lions keeper Rhys Evans, after Richard Shaw had chopped down Marvin Bartley on the edge of the Millwall box, while Tony Craig was lucky to escape a booking after felling Gradel 10 minutes in.

Harris went close after a quarter-of-an-hour, but the Lions striker's athletic bicycle kick was nicely tipped over by Forde.

Forde then got down sharply to his left to beat away David Martin's 29th-minute drive, before referee Paul Melin booked Martin for a foul on Bartley - despite the former Hampton and Richmond man appearing to hand-off' the Lions midfielder in the face.

Lee Bradbury's 34th-minute curler and Jay Simpson's right-foot effort a minute later at the other end both fizzed wide as both sides upped their search for an opener.

Simpson then hit the side netting with a well-struck drive from the corner of Forde's penalty area with six minutes of the first half remaining, while Josh McQuoid's cross on the stroke of half-time was just too far in front of the advancing Gradel and Vokes.

But with quality chances few and far between, nobody could have expected the pulsating encounter that was to develop after the break.

Cherries made their intentions clear within four minutes of the restart when Gowling's precision pass put Vokes through on goal, but Evans was quickly off his line to get down at the feet of the Lymington-based teenager and gather safely.

Substitute Brett Pitman, whose introduction appeared to galvanise Bond's charges, latched on to Vokes's incisive through ball on 53 minutes, but the Channel Islander's sublime finish from the edge of the box was correctly ruled out for offside.

Cooper then came to Cherries' rescue 10 minutes into the second period when he cleared Craig's bullett header off the line with Forde well beaten.

Danny Hollands's dipping free kick from wide on the right caught Evans by surprise on the hour, but the Lions keeper did well to turn the ball away for a corner.

Then, former Cherries loanee Jem Karacan, anonymous for much of the clash, crashed to the turf under Cooper's challenge moments later and referee Melin pointed to the spot.

It seemed harsh on Cooper, with contact on the Reading loanee appearing minimal, but justice looked to have been done when Forde guessed right to parry Harris's penalty into the path of substitute Armet Brkovic.

Brkovic, however, sliced his shot wide with Forde grounded and the goal gaping.

The Croatian almost made amends moments later, but an inspired Forde tipped his 25-yard free kick over the bar.

And as the clash really began to come to life, Pitman's spectacular half-volley from just outside the Lions box rattled Evans's left-hand upright, before Cherries won their own spot-kick with 16 minutes left on the clock.

Vokes was hauled down by Robinson when attempting to get on the end of Pitman's teasing cross and Gradel, who missed from the spot at the Priestfield Stadium a week ago, stepped up to smash the ball past the sprawling Evans.

Cherries had another decent shout for a penalty waved away by Melin after 85 minutes when debutant Steve Hutchings, on as an 83rd-minute substitute for Vokes, looked to have become the second victim of a Robinson push.

Hollands right-foot drive with three minutes remaining failed to trouble Evans, before Gradel's moment of magic with a minute remaining made the points safe for Bond's troops.

The Leicester loanee picked up the ball wide on the left, before weaving his way into the Lions box, passing two men and drilling the ball past Evans deep into the far corner.