0 .................... TOWN agony is compounded!

Hadergjonaj in the build-up to the corner, debate will also rage about the validity of Bournemouth’s second minutes later.

Wilson was once again on hand to double the Cherries’ advantage from an Andrew Surman free-kick, but there was also more than a hint of offside.

Either way, the harsh reality was that for all Town’s hard work and endeavour they were undone by the poor defending at set-pieces.

At 2-0 up the hosts were happy to soak up the pressure and try to catch Town on the break.

And the Cherries could have had another just before half-time as Jonas Lossl was forced to tip Surman’s effort over the bar.

As half-time approached the visitors needed a lifeline and received one in additional, time when Francis was sent off for a second bookable offence – a horrendous challenge on van La Parra.

It meant the second half was intriguingly poised, with Wagner showing his intention from the off with the introduction of Steve Mounie for holding midfielder Williams as the side reverted to 4-4-2.

Yet despite the numerical advantage the chances still didn’t come, with the German then deciding to introduce Abdelhamid Sabiri and Collin Quaner in a desperate bid to get back in.

And the final death knell was sounded when Malone, who until that moment had been excellent, was dispossessed by Harry Arter, who fired home.

The goal was indicative of the afternoon as a whole - players not playing particularly badly but ultimately being collectively poor in key moments.

Wilson then compounded the misery with his third to reinforce the misery. Town have now gone five away league games without scoring, and have picked up only one point in that time.