Hartlepool United 0 Bournemouth 4: Stanislas shines in comfortable win

Junior Stanislas scored twice as Bournemouth beat Hartlepool United 4-0 at Victoria Park in the second round of the League Cup.

The former England Under-21 winger scored either side of half-time and proved too hot to handle for Ronnie Moore’s side.

After a lively start that saw debutant Christian Atsu hit the bar, Bournemouth, who made 11 changes from their win over West Ham at the weekend, took a deserved lead on the half-hour mark through Yann Kermorgant.

Dan Gosling finished off a superb, free-flowing move to tuck away a second four minutes later – the midfielder’s sixth Bournemouth goal, all of which have come in the League Cup – before Stanislas got on the scoresheet with a wonderful free-kick.

Stanislas, who also hit the post after the interval, grabbed his second with just under half-an-hour remaining to put the tie beyond all doubt, as Bournemouth secured their second consecutive victory.

Buoyed by their maiden Premier League triumph last time out, Bournemouth started superbly, with Chelsea loanee Atsu rattling the crossbar with a rasping left-footed shot three minutes in.

Hartlepool’s defence was split again moments later – full-back Adam Smith breaking into the box down the right flank, only to skew his effort wide when one-on-one with Adam Bartlett.

Bournemouth continued to dominate, with Stanislas increasingly influential, and the winger would have given them the advantage with a fine long-range strike if not for a fantastic Bartlett save.

However, Stanislas did unlock the Hartlepool defence soon after – jinking inside from the right to tee-up Kermorgant in the six-yard box, who duly swept home.

Bournemouth wasted no time in extending their lead, Gosling driving forward from midfield to score with a low shot after latching onto Lee Tomlin’s clever flick.

Stanislas got the goal his display deserved two minutes before the interval, his curling free-kick good enough to beat Bartlett, who could only parry the ball into the top-right corner.

The former West Ham man almost had a second on the hour mark, but his venomous half-volley clipped the upright after taking a deflection off Scott Harrison.

Stanislas did not have to wait long to hit the target again, though, as he coolly rounded Bartlett to slot home Bournemouth’s fourth after being played in by Atsu.

Rakish Bingham should have snatched a consolation for Hartlepool, yet drilled his low strike wide as Bournemouth held on to their clean sheet.