Cherries pip Forest in the race to the EPL

BOURNEMOUTH beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League after two seasons in the second-tier Championship.

Substitute Kieffer Moore scored the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute as Scott Parker’s side joined champions Fulham in the English top flight next season.

It was only the Wales international’s third goal of an injury-ravaged Bournemouth career since his January transfer from Cardiff.

“First and foremost I’m delighted for the fans, and my players,” Parker told Sky Sports. “They deserve this position. It means a lot.

“We never had control in the first half and we didn’t want a basketball match.

“We spoke about control and calm and process. We didn’t execute the game plan and in the second half we showed our dominance.

“This group is a young team, learning their trade in a promotion task.

“One thing about this group, if we need a result we dig deep and find it.”

Forest, who needed a victory to leapfrog the Cherries in the table, will now have to try to end their 23-year Premier League exile via the Championship playoffs.

Third-placed Forest and Huddersfield Town are guaranteed places in the play offs with one match of the regular season to go, with a clutch of clubs chasing the final two places.

Bournemouth started the game brightly with Philip Billing forcing a good early save from Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba.

The home side had a huge let-off shortly before half-time when goalkeeper Mark Travers brought down Forest forward Sam Surridge inside the penalty box.