Cherry pop for Solanke
DOMINIC SOLANKE ended his year-long Bournemouth goal drought as the Premier League strugglers banished their FA Cup third-round hoodoo.
Misfiring Solanke scored for the first time since his £19million move from Liverpool in January 2018 to help fire Eddie Howe’s side into the fourth round for the first time in four years.
Philip Billing also netted twice while England striker Callum Wilson bagged with his first touch after coming on as a substitute to end his own recent barren run.
Bournemouth were in desperate need of some cup cheer after a dismal run of only two wins from their last 15 games in all competitions which had seen them slide into the relegation zone.
Luton’s form was almost equally dire and it was the home side who dominated the opening exchanges.
Billing got Howe’s men off to the perfect start with a nerve-settling eighthminute goal.
Diego Rico floated the ball into the penalty area
BOURNEMOUTH from the left and the unmarked Billing volleyed into the net.
Solanke thought he had doubled Bournemouth’s lead but his header from a Ryan Fraser corner was chalked off after VAR spotted Harry Wilson had strayed offside.
Bournemouth continued to dominate possession but failed to produce much cutting edge.
The profligate Cherries should have been punished in stoppage time when Billing hauled down Matty Pearson in the area but Alan Sheehan fired the spot-kick against the bar.
England star Wilson was called off the bench in the 63rd minute and the move paid instant dividends.
Mark Travers played a long ball out from the back that allowed Harry Wilson to run at the defence.
He squared the ball to his namesake, who confidently converted into the corner. Billing made sure of the win with 11 minutes left with a deflected right-foot shot from 25 yards out.
The icing on the cake came three minutes later when Solanke belatedly opened his account.
Luton failed to deal with a routine ball in the box, which fell kindly for Solanke to smuggle in from 12 yards.
Solanke barely broke into a smile but Howe will be hoping the goal proves the turning point for the former England Under-21 star and the result a turning point for his side.
LUTON