Bournemouth 2-0 Derby County: Dominic Solanke helps Cherries regain second place
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Dominic Solanke put Bournemouth in front against Derby by scoring for the third home game in a row
Dominic Solanke's 22nd goal of the season set Bournemouth on their way to a win over a battling Derby County to move back into the Championship's automatic promotion places.
Solanke pounced to poke the edgy Cherries in front in first-half stoppage time after the spirited Rams had largely controlled the game to that point.
However, Derby saw penalty appeals waved away after Ravel Morrison went down in the box under a challenge from Leif Davis.
Solanke and Ryan Christie had good chances to extend Bournemouth's lead in the second half before Solanke's 90th-minute shot was palmed out by ex-Cherries keeper Ryan Allsop to substitute Jamal Lowe, who sealed it.
Bournemouth leapfrog Huddersfield into second place, 12 points behind leaders Fulham while in another difficult week for Derby, they failed to take advantage of Reading's heavy defeat by Nottingham Forest and remain five points adrift of safety.
The Rams made the trip to Dorset after another trying seven days when one of the groups interested in buying them pulled out of negotiations with administrators leaving them in a "horrendous" position, according to boss Wayne Rooney.
But they started in determined fashion, keeping the Cherries quiet for the first quarter of the match while going close themselves when Malcolm Ebiowei lost his marker from Nathan Byrne's pass only to see his left-footed effort saved by Mark Travers.
The visitors felt they should have had a penalty when Morrison went down in the area after his standing foot was trodden on by Davis after he had flicked the ball through to Ebiowei.
Buoyed by that let-off, Bournemouth grew into the game and after Jaidon Anthony and Christie went close, Anthony's slaloming run from a throw-in took him into the box before the ball found its way to Solanke who pounced to jab home from a couple of yards.
Solanke went close to his second soon after half-time as Allsop pulled off an athletic save to tip away his powerful header.
At the other end, Lee Buchanan saw his fierce effort flicked over by Travers, with Curtis Davies' goalbound shot deflected away by Jordan Zemura from the subsequent corner.
Travers had to be alert again to deny Morrison twice - first from Tom Lawrence's sweet through ball and then after Buchanan had set him up.
Solanke almost turned provider for Christie after a cute one-two put the midfielder through on goal but his weak shot was comfortably saved by Allsop.
Derby did their best to force an equaliser but their hopes were snuffed out in stoppage time as Allsop's parry from Solanke's shot fell perfectly for Lowe who gobbled up the chance for his fourth goal in five games.
Bournemouth manager Scott Parker told BBC Radio Solent:
"I thought the team was superb with a real intensity about us, and showed some big quality.
"They gave everything. It was a disappointing result against Peterborough and we needed a reaction today and we got that.
"At times we had to respect Derby's quality and they caused us problems and we had to weather that.
"In the second half we had some big opportunities but were let down by the final pass. I thought over the course of the game we deserved to win."
Derby manager Wayne Rooney:
"I was really pleased. I think when you look at the two squads and the difference in value and budget of the two, really we shouldn't be on the same pitch.
"I don't believe we deserved to lose. There's a lot of positives there. I'm happy with the lads' performance but disappointed in the result.
"It's a clear penalty. I'm sure if you ask Scott Parker he'll say it's a penalty. Everyone in the stadium knew it was a penalty except for the four people that mattered."