Ryan Christie delivered a spectacular performance, netting three goals to secure Marco Rose’s inaugural victory as Bournemouth’s head coach, as the Cherries comfortably dispatched Sky Bet Championship side Lincoln with a 4-0 scoreline. The Scottish international was the standout for the hosts, finding the net in the 7th, 69th and 88th minutes, marking his second career hat‑trick.
He was later joined by substitute Rayan, who capped off the Carabao Cup third‑round win with a tidy finish in stoppage time. Rose opted for a radical overhaul, making eight changes to the starting XI. Among the fresh faces were on‑loan Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, who made his debut, and Uruguayan forward Alvaro Rodriguez, who earned his first start for the club. Lincoln, on the other hand, retained only Ryley Towler from the lineup that had drawn 1-1 with Southampton, marking the first meeting between the two sides since 2010 when both were competing in League Two.
Lincoln began the match brightly, applying early pressure, but Bournemouth struck first after just seven minutes. Christie calmly slotted the ball at the near post from a precise cross delivered by Ben Gannon‑Doak. The young winger, who had been a constant threat on the left, saw his subsequent effort blocked by Towler after cutting inside and unleashing a right‑footed shot. Di Gregorio was called into action for the first time at the 22‑minute mark, making a crucial save to deny Dan Oyegoke’s flicked header, only for Towler to blast over from the rebound.
Later, Lincoln goalkeeper Joe Gauci produced a smart reflex save to keep out Bafode Diakite, who had headed a long throw towards goal. Bournemouth continued to probe, with James Hill attempting a long‑range strike that sailed over the bar. Six minutes before the break, left‑back Julio Soler curled a wide effort from 25 yards after David Brooks’ corner was only partially cleared.
Hill also forced a defensive clearance that resulted in a corner, and Christie’s curling 20‑yard shot was palmed away by Gauci at the final whistle of the first half. The result left Rose frustrated, as his side had managed only two points from their first three Premier League fixtures, having conceded late goals against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle. Nevertheless, the Cherries maintained control in the second half.
Five minutes after the restart, Gannon‑Doak’s curling attempt glanced off Rodriguez’s head and sailed just over the crossbar, narrowly missing a chance to double the lead. The Scottish winger continued to test the Lincoln defence, blasting another long‑range effort over the bar in the 55th minute. Hill then produced a thunderous 25‑yard drive that struck the post and crossbar, barely missing the top corner. Rodriguez, eager to open his Bournemouth account, slipped while setting up a shot from the edge of the box, sending the ball high into the stands.
Later, the £21 million signing headed inches wide from a Hill cross, enduring a frustrating full debut. Christie then displayed his vision, guiding Rodriguez to the right spot as he headed in Brooks’ corner at the far post, extending the lead to 3‑0.
The Scotland midfielder completed his hat‑trick in the 88th minute when a deflected shot from 14 yards, set up by Diakite, found the back of the net. In stoppage time, Rayan sealed the fourth goal with a tidy finish from the corner of the six‑yard box. Post‑match, Bournemouth head coach Marco Rose praised his team’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 reflected on the defeat: “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 comprehensive victory not only gave Bournemouth a morale‑boosting win in the cup but also highlighted the depth of Rose’s squad, the impact of new signings, and the resurgence of Ryan Christie as a key attacking outlet for the club.