Emiliano Marcondes scored a hat-trick as Bournemouth eased into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win at Yeovil.
The Danish midfielder tucked away a first-half double before completing his treble midway through the second period after Joe Quigley had scored to give National League Yeovil hope just after the interval.
It was the Glovers who had the first real chance of the game after 11 minutes when Dale Gorman lifted a free-kick high over the Bournemouth crossbar.
Some neat play down the left involving Morgan Rogers resulted in early yellow cards for Yeovil pair Matt Worthington and Gorman and it was the Cherries who made the breakthrough in the 19th minute.
A long ball forward from central defender Chris Mepham picked out Marcondes’ run in behind the Yeovil defence and he steered his shot beyond goalkeeper Dillon Barnes and just inside the right-hand post.
The visitors continued to push, with Jamal Lowe having an effort deflected just wide of the target midway through the half before Jaidon Anthony – the only player to retain his place in the starting line-up from the side that beat Cardiff last time out in the Championship – hit a post with a shot from wide on the right.
The hosts had a rare sight of goal just after the half-hour when Tom Knowles won possession 20 yards out only to blast his shot over the target.
It was Bournemouth who added to the scoreline after 43 minutes when Anthony threaded a pass through the Glovers defence for Marcondes to score his second of the game.
Yeovil were thrown a lifeline at the start of the second half when Cherries keeper Orjan Nyland dallied with his clearance which was blocked by Knowles, allowing Quigley to roll the ball into the empty net in the 48th minute.
But Bournemouth bounced back in style, with Barnes forced into a decent save to deny Lowe in the 67th minute after more excellent work from skipper Mepham.
With 70 minutes gone, the Cherries – and Marcondes – struck again as he lashed home the loose ball after Barnes had parried Lowe’s close-range shot.
Yeovil had a chance to reduce the deficit in the first minute of time added on but skipper Luke Wilkinson fired a 25-yard free-kick high and wide and the final action saw substitute Reuben Reid have an effort blocked in front of goal.
