RED-HOT DANJUMA INSPIRES CHERRIES
Winger sparkles in romp
JONATHAN Woodgate praised his side’s fast start after Bournemouth thumped Coventry to move into the play-off places.
Arnaut Danjuma’s goal after just 24 seconds – the first of two for the Dutchman – set the tone for an impressive win.
Woodgate said: “I thought we played really well. We played with a high intensity from the start and were difficult to play against.
“That is what I ask for; start quickly and put the opposition on the back foot.
“Arnuat wanted to stay on to try to get his hat-trick but the team comes first.
“If something happened to him in the last five minutes I would never forgive myself. He will have more opportunities in his career to score hattricks.
“It is all about attitude, application and mentality because the lads’ ability has never been in doubt.
“A 4-1 victory is a good result because Coventry are a decent team and should be higher in the table. We can get better but on to the next one.”
David Brooks and Dominic Solanke were also on target as Woodgate’s in-form Cherries picked up their fourth straight league win with Matty James replying for the visitors.
Bournemouth knew a point would be enough to take them into the play-off spots and got off to an electric start.
Brooks burst down the right before drilling in a cross for Danjuma to tuck home his 12th goal of the season.
The Cherries had barely finishing celebrating when Coventry hit back with a goal of their own in the third minute. Callum O’Hare was brought down 25 yards out and Leicester loanee James stepped up to pick out the corner with a sweetly-struck freekick curler.
The Cherries were back in front in the 28th minute as Danjuma claimed his second goal of the afternoon.
Danjuma played a neat onetwo with Philip Billing before squeezing his shot through the legs of Marko Marosi and into the far corner from a tight angle.
Coventry defender Josh Pask was carried off on a stretcher on the hour-mark following a nasty clash of heads with Billing.
That incident seemed to knock Mark Robins’s men off their stride and Brooks sealed the points with his fourth goal of the season in the 69th minute.
Danjuma had too much pace for Jordon Thompson before sending in a pin-point cross for Brooks to cushion beyond Marosi from close range.
Solanke completed the rout in stoppage time when he diverted substitute Ben Pearson’s cross into the net from point-blank range.
Robins said: “We were playing against a top team. If we were at full capacity, playing at top tilt, it would still be a difficult game.
“As it is, we are playing with lads that are still learning the game and that makes a big difference.
“The biggest compliment I can pay the players is that they have tried to stick with them and tried to execute the game plan.
“A lot of the time they got it right, but some of the time they got it wrong and that was when we were punished.”