Bournemouth 3-1 Birmingham City: Cherries bounce back from FA Cup exit to beat Blues

Ryan Christie's 17th-minute opener set Bournemouth on their way to only their fifth league win since October

Bournemouth recovered well from Sunday's FA Cup humiliation by non-league Boreham Wood as they beat Birmingham City to go back up to second in the Championship.

After going two goals up inside the first 31 minutes with quality strikes from Ryan Christie and top scorer Dominic Solanke, a crisply struck right-foot angled shot for his 20th goal of the season, Bournemouth looked in control.

The Cherries then gave Blues a way back into the game when Jefferson Lerma chopped down Onel Hernandez and was sent off midway through the second half.

Within two minutes Blues pulled a goal back when, from Jordan Graham's right-wing corner, Ivan Sunjic laid the ball back and Hernandez's shot, heading for the right corner, deflected hugely off Nat Phillips.

Blues could have been level when, from Juninho Bacuna's cross from the right, Lukas Jutkiewicz connected well with his right foot but home keeper Mark Travers made a brilliant save to turn it over the bar.

Jaidon Anthony quickly made Blues pay for that miss when he dribbled into the visitors' box and somehow retained possession before finding the back of the net from close range.

Bournemouth's latest win over Blues, a team they have only ever lost to three times in 22 meetings, was just their fifth league victory since the end of October - but it took Scott Parker's side back to within six points of his old club Fulham at the top.

The Cherries made nine changes from Sunday's FA Cup upset, but victory still came at a cost as Lerma's second red card of the season looks likely to earn the mercurial Colombian an automatic four-game ban, subject to any appeal.

The first game he should miss will be on Saturday when the Cherries head to Blackpool two points clear of Blackburn, who drop back to third after losing at home to Nottingham Forest.

Lee Bowyer's Blues, who have not won in four games, are in 18th, 13 points clear of trouble, going into Saturday's home date with Luton Town.

Bournemouth boss Scott Parker:

"In the first half we looked every bit of a top side. I asked my players to give a reaction to what happened on Sunday and in the first half we were exceptional.

"Two at half time could easily have been three or four. The second half changed the game but even after they scored we showed big character to make it 3-1. That gave us a bit of oxygen and from there we had to hold on.

"I am very pleased with the result and the reaction of the team because after Sunday the players were broken a little bit and disappointed. They proved a point."

Birmingham City boss Lee Bowyer told BBC Radio WM:

"They're a good side if you allow them to be. We started on the front foot but we gave them two goals from our own mistakes.

"Even before they went down to 10 men, we were creating chances. We had a right go, put some great balls into the box and asked good questions of their defenders.

"Then they had the red card and we had another couple of close shaves but one long ball straight down the middle and they end up nicking it."