Benik Afobe scored his first Bournemouth goal as the Cherries convincingly beat Norwich City 3-0 in this afternoon's Premier League match at the Vitality Stadium.
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Eddie Howe's side have a habit of scoring early goals and they did so again today, with Dan Gosling's 10th-minute opener meaning that they have more than anyone else in the opening 15 minutes of Premier League games this season.
The midfielder arrived late at the back post to head home Marc Pugh's inviting cross and ensure that Norwich are still without an away clean sheet in the league this term.
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Norwich were second-best for much of the game and in the first half especially they created very little, with Matt Jarvis's shot from the left the only time Artur Boruc was really tested.
Down the other end Bournemouth wanted a red card for Norwich keeper Declan Rudd when the stopper upended Afobe as the striker looked to break clear on goal, but referee Robert Madley felt that the ball was going away from goal and that Norwich defenders were back to cover.
The challenge was just outside the box and from the resulting free kick Junior Stanislas could only curl over the top.
Norwich held on until half time, but Bournemouth were straight out of the traps upon the resumption as Pugh twisted and turned past two challenges before firing at Rudd from inside the box.
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Not long after they were given a penalty when Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe tugged back Pugh. Cherries left-back Charlie Daniels stepped up and slotted home from 12 yards off the post.
Rudd could not get a glove to it despite diving the right way and the Norwich keeper was again diving moments later to keep out Steve Cook's powerful header.
A Canaries goal would have injected some life into the visitors and Dieumerci Mbokani had a pair of chances to get them on the board, but first missed the target with a lob before drilling at Boruc from a tight angle.
Bournemouth then killed the game off as Afobe got off the mark in red and black with a thumping side-footed finish from Daniels's inch-perfect cross.
With victory, the Cherries end their four-game league winless streak and leapfrog Norwich in the table to go 15th and five points above the relegation zone.
Pascal Lemesre
