Bournemouth 3-1 Notts Co

Despite a dream start on the south coast, courtesy of Jeff Hughes' early goal, Notts County were undone by three goals as Bournemouth kept their pressure on table-topping Doncaster with a home win. Chris Kiwomya began the game in a 4-5-1 formation, the returning Joss Labadie replacing the suspended Alan Judge in midfield and shifting Hughes to the left, while Enoch Showunmi was the lone frontman. Bartosz Bialkowski was back in goal, having recovered from the illness which kept him out of the Easter Monday defeat against Yeovil.

Notts took the lead within two minutes, as good work from Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Julian Kelly allowed Labadie to get a cross to Hughes, and the Northern Irishman converted with a strong header which beat the keeper Ryan Allsop's save.

The Cherries, shocked by this development, set about trying to claw back the deficit, and just a couple of minutes later, Simon Francis fired a low shot which Bart saved easily, while Brett Pitman's shot on eight minutes went wide.

Pitman and Matt Ritchie would each get another attempt on goal before, on 16 minutes, the latter got on the scoresheet with a goal from the edge of the area, beating several defenders and Bart as it went into the bottom left corner. 1-1, and the Cherries were in the mood for more.

The versatile Marc Pugh was a threat, pinging in several crosses into the Notts area, while Steve Cook and Matt Tubbs got efforts in, and their pressure was rewarded on 26 minutes as the dangerous Pitman found the net with a powerful goal from just outside the box.

The Notts players protested, feeling that Tubbs had handled in the build-up to the goal, but his effort stood, and the Magpies, 1-0 up within two minutes, were now 2-1 down courtesy of the 16-goal hitman.

It was so nearly 17 for the prolific striker, but his 20-yard effort on 37 minutes was wide.

Worse was to come for Notts as Andre Boucaud, booked on 28 for unsporting behaviour, received a second yellow on the stroke of half-time for a challenge, a very harsh decision as it wasn't a caution-meriting tackle. The travelling Notts fans made their feelings well known as the first-half whistle blew.

Cherries defender Simon Francis was booked after committing two rash tackles in two minutes, the first on Hughes - prompting the fans to sarcastically celebrate a decision finally going their way - then on JCR.

Labadie's ensuing free kick was dangerous and seemed to be heading for the top-right corner, but was well saved by Allsop and out for a corner kick.

Bournemouth's Harry Arter produced a fine effort which forced Bart into a full-stretch save to his left, while at the other end, the referee once again incurred the wrath of the travelling Magpies as Showunmi was felled in the Bournemouth box, but no penalty was given. Neal Bishop's in-play attempt was well over.

On 73 minutes, JCR delivered a great ball into the area, but Showunmi wasn't able to get his head to it. It was to be his final effort, as he was replaced by young Tyrell Waite just after.

As the game went into its final ten minutes, Sheehan's floated free-kick wasn't properly cleared by the home defenders, but Hughes couldn't make anything of it, miscontrolling the ball as it fell to him.

The game was finally put to bed on the 85th minute as Matt Ritchie, voted League One Player of the Year the week before, put Notts out of their misery with a clinical finish from the edge of the penalty box into the bottom right-hand corner. 3-1, game over.

Interestingly, the last time Notts were beaten by a two-goal margin in the league before today was against Stevenage on the 5th February, and before that on the 27th October. It's not something that's happened often this season.

Sadly, a combination of a demotivated team with nothing to play for, the same old problems up front, a determined and dangerous Bournemouth containing some of the strongest players in the league with all to play for, and bad refereeing, Notts staff and fans faced a long trip back North with a bitter taste in their mouth. Is the season over yet?