Ten-man Bournemouth held out for a 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest as goals from David Brooks and Philip Billing helped them edge a tight contest at the City Ground.
Brooks put the Cherries in front in the 28th minute with a nice finish and, while Scott McKenna’s header cancelled that out three minutes after half-time, Scott Parker’s men took the lead again through another well-taken goal, this time from Billing, in the 58th minute.
Brooks was shown a second yellow card two minutes later, but Bournemouth showed intelligent game management to claw their way to the final whistle and three points.
Forest’s Philip Zinckernagel could not get enough dip on an early free-kick which cleared the crossbar.
Another free-kick saw the home side threaten again, with Jack Colback’s deep delivery picking out Tobias Figueiredo at the far post. He headed the ball back into the danger zone but Bournemouth were just able to scramble clear.
The visitors came close to scoring with their first real attack as Billing ghosted into space a few yards out, only to be denied by a strong hand from goalkeeper Brice Samba.
Forest had failed to profit from their first real spell of pressure – but Bournemouth made the most of it when they were on top as they took a 28th-minute lead.
Dominic Solanke’s ball down the right was perfectly measured and Brooks’ run and finish was even better as he glided into the box from the right before lifting a shot across goal and beyond the reach of Samba.
Joe Lolley forced a save, albeit a comfortable one, from Mark Travers, with a driven shot. The Bournemouth keeper was well beaten when Ryan Yates released a thunderbolt from the edge of the box, but the midfielder’s effort cannoned cruelly away off a post.
Travers had to be strong again when Lyle Taylor tested him from an angle, with Zinckernagel wild with the rebound.
Forest managed to pull themselves level from a well-worked free-kick three minutes into the second half. Zinckernagel bent in a cross from the left, picking out McKenna who managed to guide a header inside the far post.
Bournemouth took the lead again in the 58th minute as Jaidon Anthony slotted the ball to Billing as he rampaged into the box and the midfielder produced an emphatic finish.
Brooks, who had been booked in the 35th minute for a foul on Jordi Osei-Tutu, was shown a red after being cautioned for a second time on the hour for another foul on the on-loan Arsenal man.
Bournemouth defended solidly after being reduced to 10 men, with Forest finding chances hard to come by. Substitute Lewis Grabban hit the crossbar with a header but was offside anyway.
Sub Alex Mighten shot over and Osei-Tutu worked hard to create a chance for himself but saw his shot blocked.
