Ryan Christie delivered a sensational performance, netting three goals to secure Marco Rose’s inaugural victory as Bournemouth’s manager. The Cherries dominated Sky Bet Championship side Lincoln, cruising to a convincing 4-0 triumph.
The Scottish international was the standout for the home side, finding the back of the net in the 7th, 69th and 88th minutes, marking his second career hat‑trick. Late on, substitute Rayan added a fourth goal in stoppage time to seal the Carabao Cup third‑round win. Rose opted for a massive overhaul, making eight changes to his starting XI.
Among the newcomers were on‑loan Juventus keeper Michele Di Gregorio, who earned his debut, and Uruguayan forward Álvaro Rodríguez, who earned his first start for the Cherries. Only Ryley Towler retained his place from Lincoln’s recent 1‑1 draw with Southampton, as the two clubs met for the first time since 2010 when both were competing in League Two. Lincoln began the match brightly, pressing forward and creating a few early chances.
However, Bournemouth struck first after just seven minutes when Christie timed a perfect run to the near post and slotted home a cross from Ben Gannon‑Doak. The young winger, who had been lively throughout the opening stages, saw his own effort blocked by Towler after cutting in from the left and unleashing a right‑footed shot.
Di Gregorio was called into action for the first time in the 22nd minute, making a crucial save to deny Dan Oyegoke’s flick. Shortly after, Towler’s rebound attempt flew over the bar. Lincoln’s goalkeeper Joe Gauci also produced a smart reflex save to keep out Bafode Diakite, who had headed a long‑throw into the danger area. James Hill then attempted a long‑range strike that went wide as Bournemouth continued to hunt for a second goal.
Six minutes before the break, left‑back Julio Soler curled a wide effort from 25 yards after a David Brooks corner was only half‑cleared. Hill later saw a shot from the edge of the penalty area deflected for a corner, and Christie’s curling 20‑yard effort was palmed away by Gauci with the final kick of the first half. The result was a mixed bag for Rose, who had only managed two points from his first three Premier League fixtures, having conceded late goals against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle. Nevertheless, the comprehensive cup win should boost his confidence as the club faces a congested schedule featuring European competition, domestic cups and a demanding Premier League campaign.
The second half began with Bournemouth almost doubling their lead five minutes in when Gannon‑Doak’s curling shot glanced off Rodríguez’s head and sailed just over the crossbar. The Scottish winger then tried another long‑range effort in the 55th minute, which again sailed over the bar.
Hill produced a thunderous 25‑yard strike that rattled the post and crossbar, narrowly missing the top corner. Rodríguez, eager to open his Bournemouth account, slipped while lining up a shot from the edge of the box, sending the ball high into the stands.
Later, the £21 million signing headed inches away from a Hill cross, enduring a frustrating debut. Christie then demonstrated his vision, guiding Rodríguez to the far post where he headed home Brooks’ corner, extending the lead to 3‑0 with 21 minutes remaining. The Scotland midfielder completed his treble in the 88th minute, converting a deflected 14‑yard shot after a clever lay‑off from Diakite.
In stoppage time, Rayan capped the performance with a tidy finish from the edge of the six‑yard box, making the final scoreline 4‑0. After the match, Bournemouth head coach Marco Rose praised his side: "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 superiority of the visitors: "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 victory not only gave Bournemouth a comfortable cup progression but also highlighted Christie’s resurgence after injury, the promising debut of Di Gregorio, and the potential of Rodríguez to become a key attacking outlet.
As the season intensifies, Rose will look to build on this performance, integrating his new signings and maintaining the momentum across all competitions.