Cherries suffered a fifth consecutive defeat after conceding three times in a dreadful opening 10-minute spell at Sheffield Wednesday this afternoon.

Lee Bradbury’s men were left with a mountain to climb as the promotion contenders produced a blistering start to the League One clash.

Danny Batth netted first after just four minutes before the Owls profited from a Miles Addison goal to move further ahead four minutes later.

And after Michail Antonio had made it three with an exceptional solo goal, Cherries were left with little chance of salvaging something from their trip to south Yorkshire.

The visitors were not without goalscoring opportunities of their own, with Wes Thomas hitting the woodwork and both Wes Fogden and Scott Malone going close.

But, in truth, they were never going to recover after giving Wednesday a three-goal headstart.

Steven Gregory was recalled to the Cherries starting line-up in place of Harry Arter. Bidding to halt his team’s recent run, Cherries boss Lee Bradbury packed his midfield and deployed Donal McDermott in an advanced role behind lone striker Thomas.

But within 10 minutes, Cherries’ plans had been ruined. The game was virtually over before it had even begun.

Cherries were left reeling as Wednesday underlined their promotion credentials in some style.

After Darryl Flahavan had done well to palm an Antonio header wide, Cherries paid the price for failing to clear the resulting corner when Antonio crossed for Batth to fire home from close range.

Cherries winger Malone shot narrowly wide before Mike Jones had an effort deflected off target for the hosts.

However, the home fans did not have long to wait before further increasing their advantage in the eighth minute. A Chris Lines corner caused trouble at the far post and assistant referee Nigel Smith deemed the ball to have crossed the line off the underside of the crossbar, with Addison appearing to get the final touch.

The big task became mountainous when Wednesday made it 3-0 two minutes later.

The lively Antonio sliced through the Cherries defence on the right wing and having surged into the penalty area, thumped a vicious shot beyond Flahavan.

Cherries finally showed signs of some attacking endeavour of their own and should have reduced the deficit in the 26th minute, but Fogden could not direct a dangerous Malone cross on target.

Flahavan parried Lines’s curling free-kick before opposite number Stephen Bywater saved with his legs from Thomas, who had been sent clear by a neat Fogden pass.

Fogden then shot straight at Bywater when well-placed and Thomas summed up Cherries’ day when his low drive cannoned back off the woodwork just before the interval.

Boss Bradbury sent out the same 11 men as Cherries attempted to restore some pride after the break.

Flahavan was initially the busier of the two goalkeepers as he made a routine save from Lines before doing brilliantly to block from Ryan Lowe after the striker had angled his run to perfection to beat the offside trap.

Bradbury introduced a second forward in the shape of Matt Tubbs on 62 minutes, with Malone the man substituted.

Thomas should have ended his recent goal drought when he fired high and wide from close range. And he was replaced by Jayden Stockley almost immediately as the homegrown frontman was handed a chance to display his credentials.

Stockley was at the centre of things when Cherries came close to an 88th-minute consolation. His knock-down set up Addison but Bywater kept out his effort before Tubbs hit the rebound into the ground and over as Cherries’ day ended as it had started – in disappointing fashion.

Wednesday: (4-4-2) Bywater; Buxton, Batth, R Jones, Bennett; M Jones, Lines, Semedo, Antonio; Madine, Lowe (Morrison, 77). Unused subs: Prutton, O’Grady, Llera, Jameson (g/k).

Booked: R Jones

Cherries: (4-4-1-1) Flahavan; Francis, Cook, Addison, Daniels; Fogden, Gregory, MacDonald, Malone (Tubbs, 62); McDermott; Thomas (Stockley, 71). Unused subs: Cooper, Baudry, Zubar.

Referee: James Adcock

Attendance: 19,416