Ryan Christie delivered a standout performance, netting three goals to secure Marco Rose’s inaugural victory as Bournemouth’s manager, as the Cherries comfortably dispatched Sky Bet Championship side Lincoln with a 4-0 win. The Scotland international marked his second career hat‑trick by finding the back of the net in the 7th, 69th and 88th minutes, while substitute Rayan capped the Carabao Cup third‑round triumph with a late‑game finish in stoppage time.
Rose opted for a wholesale overhaul, making eight changes to his starting eleven. Among the newcomers were on‑loan Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who earned his debut, and Uruguayan forward Álvaro Rodríguez, who earned his first start for the club. Lincoln, on the other hand, retained only Ryley Towler from their recent 1‑1 draw with Southampton, setting up a rare meeting between the two sides – their first encounter since 2010 when both were competing in League Two.
Lincoln began the match on an upbeat note, but Bournemouth struck first just seven minutes in. Christie timed his run perfectly and slotted a low‑driven finish to the near post from a cross delivered by Ben Gannon‑Doak. The young winger, who had been a constant threat on the left flank, saw his own attempt later blocked by Towler after cutting inside and unleashing a right‑footed shot.
The action turned more physical in the 22nd minute when Di Gregorio was called into action for the first time. He made a crucial save, parrying a flicked effort from Dan Oyegoke, only for Towler to blast over the rebound.
Lincoln’s keeper, Joe Gauci, also had a moment of brilliance, denying Bafode Diakite with a well‑timed save after the defender headed a long throw toward goal. Bournemouth continued to press, with James Hill testing the goalkeeper from distance, though his strike sailed over the bar. Six minutes before the break, left‑back Julio Soler attempted a curling effort from 25 yards after a David Brooks corner was only half‑cleared, but the shot drifted wide. Hill later forced a corner when his shot from the edge of the penalty area was deflected.
Christie’s own 20‑yard curling effort was palmed away by Gauci just before the halftime whistle, leaving the score at 1‑0. The first half was a learning curve for Rose, who had only managed two points from his opening three Premier League fixtures, having conceded late goals against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle.
The Cherries, however, looked dominant and were close to doubling their lead five minutes into the second half. Gannon‑Doak’s curling attempt clipped Rodríguez’s head and rose over the crossbar, while the winger later missed another long‑range effort that sailed high above the bar in the 55th minute. Hill continued to threaten, unleashing a powerful 25‑yard drive that struck the post‑crossbar junction, while Rodríguez, still eager to open his Bournemouth account, slipped on a shot from the edge of the box, sending the ball high into the stands.
The £21 million signing later headed a cross from Hill only to see his header drift inches wide, a frustrating end to his debut. Christie then demonstrated his vision, guiding Rodríguez to the far post with a well‑timed header from Brooks’ corner, setting up his own second goal. The Scotland midfielder headed home the ball in the 69th minute, extending the lead to 2‑0.
His final strike came in the 88th minute – a deflected shot from 14 yards after a pass from Diakite – completing his hat‑trick and sealing a 3‑0 advantage. In the dying moments of the game, Rayan added a fourth goal, calmly finishing from the corner of the six‑yard box during stoppage time, capping a comprehensive victory for Bournemouth.
Post‑match, Bournemouth head coach Marco Rose praised his side’s performance: “It was a top performance for 94 minutes and we had many shots on and off target. We only gave one chance away, so I am really happy. Ryan [Christie] is a nice guy. We really love him and he deserved it.
He came back from an injury, worked hard and now he's back in shape. It's good for us because the upcoming time is really busy and we need everyone.
In the next few weeks we have European football, cups in England and the Premier League is getting very demanding. I'm new in this club, new in this country, but it's about winning games and winning titles.” Lincoln joint‑head coach Chris Cohen acknowledged the gap in quality: “Certain players had moments in the game, but overall Bournemouth were by far the better team. We were looking for a low‑scoring match and wanted to get to 60 minutes still in the game. The frustration is we did not implement our in‑possession stuff at all and could not impose ourselves with our set‑pieces as well as we normally do.
We had a lot of new players and will learn a lot as a team from the game.” The win not only gave Bournemouth their first triumph under Rose but also provided a confidence boost ahead of a congested schedule featuring domestic cups and European commitments. Meanwhile, Lincoln will look to regroup and address the tactical shortcomings highlighted by their joint‑head coach as they continue their campaign in the Championship.