Huddersfield Town 0-3 Bournemouth: Dominic Solanke stars as Cherries consolidate second
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Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke (right) took his tally to 24 goals this season in all competitions
Dominic Solanke starred as second-placed Bournemouth gave their Premier League promotion hopes a huge boost with an impressive victory at third-placed Huddersfield Town.
Solanke hit the bar early on before setting up Jaidon Anthony's side-footed opener.
The forward's break then led to Jefferson Lerma doubling the lead after a Huddersfield error, before the former Liverpool player's excellent flick made it 3-0 seconds after half-time.
The Cherries are now six points clear in second place and have at least two games in hand on the sides in the play-off places.
Scott Parker's side remain eight points behind leaders Fulham with a game in hand, but after this slick performance it would seem unlikely for any side to dislodge either team from the Championship's automatic promotion places.
Fifteen days ago Huddersfield had been a point above the Cherries in second place, but the end of their 17-game unbeaten run in the Championship - which stretched back to early December - came on Tuesday as they lost 2-0 at Millwall.
And that poor form continued as they were second best throughout - they could have been behind twice inside the first 10 minutes as Solanke had a difficult effort saved and headed a Ryan Christie free-kick against the crossbar.
It was Solanke who was in the thick of the action for both first-half goals - first Christie slid in the one-time England forward down the right and his low cross allowed Anthony a close-range finish.
Then he broke through on goal, forcing a good save from Lee Nicholls. But Tom Lees misjudged the clearance and Lerma was able to sneak a weak shot into the bottom corner for the Colombia midfielder's first goal in more than 11 months.
Lees almost scored an own goal 10 minutes later as he turned Jordan Zemura's cross from the left just over the bar with the Cherries dominating.
The third goal was just what Solanke deserved as he cutely finished another flowing move that involved five players before backheeling Billing's cutback into the net.
The Cherries dominated possession as the half wore on as they constricted Huddersfield - Danny Ward had a shot saved at the second attempt by visiting keeper Mark Travers in the second half, having had two efforts in the first period.
Parker's side have now lost just once in their past nine Championship games - winning six - as a return to the top flight after two seasons in the second tier seems increasingly likely.
Huddersfield Town head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio Leeds:
"They were better individually and collectively than us.
"In the first 15 minutes we were feeling that we could have got the ball in the offensive half and they were a little bit uncomfortable in the security in their first passes.
"That gave us the feeling that we could be very aggressive with Bournemouth, and when you are very aggressive it means you are going to defend with more open spaces.
"It's one thing that they're very dangerous in, the open spaces, as they have players that individually can make the difference."
AFC Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker told BBC Radio Solent:
"It was a big statement. I thought we were incredible today from start to finish, it was arguably one of our best performances of the season.
"This is an unbeaten team, this is a team that have done very well over the course of the last three or four months, and I thought today to a man we were very good and I'm very pleased with the team today.
"We've been here before many a time when 2-0's always a bit of a precarious position.
"We were very clinical in our moments today and we got the third which was pleasing.
"Then the the way we managed the game towards the end, the way we moved the ball, we really neutralised their threat."