Ryan Christie delivered a spectacular 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 win.
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. His teammate, Rayan, came off the bench to cap the Carabao Cup third‑round triumph with a tidy finish in stoppage time.
Rose opted for a massive overhaul, introducing eight changes to the starting XI. Among the newcomers were on‑loan Juventus keeper Michele Di Gregorio, who made 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, a match that marked the first meeting of the two clubs since 2010 when they were both competing in League Two.
Lincoln began the encounter brightly, pressing high and creating early chances. However, Bournemouth struck first after just seven minutes when Christie timed a perfect run into the box and slotted a low finish at the near post from a 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. The Juventus loanee Di Gregorio was called into action for the first time in the 22nd minute, making a crucial save to deny Dan Oyegoke’s flick‑on. Shortly after, Lincoln goalkeeper Joe Gauci produced a smart reflex to keep out Bafode Diakité, 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. Just before the half‑hour mark, left‑back Julio Soler curled a wide effort from 25 yards after a corner from David Brooks was only half‑cleared.
Hill then forced a shot from the edge of the penalty area to be deflected for a corner, and Christie’s curling 20‑yard effort was palmed away by Gauci at the final whistle of the first half. The result left Rose slightly frustrated, as his side had only collected two points from their first three Premier League outings, having conceded late goals against Manchester City, Everton and Newcastle.
Nonetheless, the manager praised his squad’s resilience and the attacking intent displayed throughout the match. The second half began with Bournemouth almost doubling their lead five minutes in.
Gannon‑Doak unleashed a curling drive that glanced off Rodríguez’s head and sailed just over the crossbar. The Scottish winger then attempted another long‑range effort in the 55th minute, which again went over the bar. Hill produced a powerful 25‑yard strike that struck the post‑corner junction, while Rodríguez, eager to open his Bournemouth account, slipped on his follow‑up shot from the edge of the box, sending the ball high into the stands.
The £21 million signing later headed inches from a cross delivered by Hill, enduring a frustrating full debut. Christie, ever the opportunist, showed Rodríguez the route to goal 21 minutes from time, heading in a Brooks corner at the far post.
The Scottish midfielder completed his treble in the 88th minute when a deflected shot from 14 yards, set up by Di Akité, found the net. In stoppage time, Rayan added the fourth goal, tapping home a tidy finish from the corner of the six‑yard box, sealing a comprehensive victory for the Cherries. Post‑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 win not only gave Bournemouth three points but also boosted morale ahead of a congested schedule that includes European fixtures, domestic cup ties and a demanding Premier League campaign. The team will look to build on Christie’s hat‑trick and the solid defensive display as they aim to climb the table and challenge for honors in the weeks to come.
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