Brett Pitman's brace helped Bournemouth defeat Crewe as the Cherries claimed their fifth successive victory to move top of League One.

After an open first half, in which both sides had chances, the visitors went ahead from Pitman's penalty for Mathias Pogba's challenge on Matt Ritchie.

Pogba then made amends when he powered home a header from Kelvin Mellor's cross in the 79th minute.

But Pitman drilled in Steve Cook's cross to earn his side three points.

Pitman has now scored five times against Crewe in the last month, following a hat-trick, including two more penalties, in the Cherries' 3-1 win at Dean Court just 18 days ago.

Victory moves Bournemouth a point ahead of Doncaster, who have a game in hand on Eddie Howe's side, while Crewe drop to 13th, now 10 points adrift of the play-offs.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Crewe manager Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke:

"We just feel robbed. We were every bit as good as them and deserved something from the game. We did enough to get a draw at the very least.

"We've now played them twice in three weeks and had three penalties given against us. I don't know what to say. I've said enough to the referee and I got in trouble last time.

"The decision he made changed the game. It looked fairly innocuous. The lad may have dived. There were no appeals from their players."

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told BBC Radio Solent:

"It's been a long road and the lads have won a lot of games to get to where we are and it hasn't been easy by any means. They deserve all the credit.

"Away from home it's easy to find ways to get beaten. Even in tight games, the best teams always find a way to win.

"Now we don't want to get caught. The challenge is to make sure nobody overtakes us."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (6)

Crewe Alexandra

  • 01 Phillips
  • 05 Ellis
  • 06 Dugdale
  • 15 Robertson
  • 08 Murphy
  • 14 Mellor
  • 19 Osman
  • 26 Aneke (Colclough - 74' )
  • 31 Inman Booked (M Clayton - 89' )
  • 09 Pogba
  • 10 Leitch-Smith (Moore - 74' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Martin
  • 03 Davis
  • 12 Turton
  • 16 Guthrie
  • 07 M Clayton
  • 11 Moore
  • 27 Colclough

Bournemouth

  • 01 Jalal
  • 02 Francis
  • 03 Cook
  • 05 Seaborne
  • 08 Arter
  • 17 McQuoid (Fogden - 46' )
  • 26 Hughes
  • 30 Ritchie Booked
  • 32 O'Kane (MacDonald - 84' )
  • 22 Grabban
  • 40 Pitman (Tubbs - 87' )

Substitutes

  • 21 Allsop
  • 06 Partington
  • 12 Fogden
  • 16 MacDonald
  • 20 Fraser
  • 18 Tubbs
  • 33 Fletcher
Ref: Clark
Att: 4,005

Match Stats

Shots

9 10

On target

5 4

Corners

5 7

Fouls

8 6

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:11 Full time

Full Time The final whistle goes and the game is over.

90:00 +3:17

Luke Murphy challenges Lewis Grabban unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Wes Fogden.

90:00 +1:16

The ball is delivered by Luke Murphy.

90:00 +1:00

The ball is crossed by Mark Ellis, clearance made by Steve Cook. A cross is delivered by Mathias Pogba, Daniel Seaborne makes a clearance.

90:00 +0:27

Outswinging corner taken by Luke Murphy.

88:40

Lewis Grabban is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Steve Phillips takes the indirect free kick.

88:40 Substitution

Substitution Max Clayton joins the action as a substitute, replacing Bradden Inman.

88:40

Byron Moore sends in a cross.

86:46 Substitution

Substitution Matt Tubbs joins the action as a substitute, replacing Brett Pitman.

85:30

The ball is delivered by Byron Moore, Matt Ritchie manages to make a clearance.

83:53

The ball is crossed by Steve Cook,

83:41

The assist for the goal came from Steve Cook.

83:41 Goal scored

Goal - Brett Pitman - Crewe 1 - 2 Bournem'th A goal is scored by Brett Pitman from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crewe 1-2 Bournemouth.

83:13 Substitution

Substitution Shaun MacDonald joins the action as a substitute, replacing Eunan O'Kane.

78:54

The assist for the goal came from Kelvin Mellor.

79:02

The ball is delivered by Kelvin Mellor,

79:02

Kelvin Mellor sends in a cross,

78:54

Assist by Kelvin Mellor.

78:54 Goal scored

Goal - Mathias Pogba - Crewe 1 - 1 Bournem'th Mathias Pogba finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the penalty area. Crewe 1-1 Bournemouth.

78:39

Centre by Luke Murphy, clearance made by Steve Cook.

78:15

The ball is crossed by Byron Moore.

78:02

Centre by Matt Ritchie, clearance by Mark Ellis.

76:55

The ball is swung over by Brett Pitman, Lewis Grabban takes a shot. Steve Phillips makes a save. The ball is delivered by Byron Moore, save by Shwan Jalal.

75:21

Lewis Grabban takes a shot. Steve Phillips makes a save. Brett Pitman takes the inswinging corner, save by Steve Phillips.

73:36 Substitution

Substitution Byron Moore comes on in place of Ajay Leitch-Smith.

73:36 Substitution

Substitution Ryan Colclough joins the action as a substitute, replacing Chuks Aneke.

72:48

Centre by Luke Murphy. The referee blows for offside against Ajay Leitch-Smith. Shwan Jalal takes the direct free kick.

72:29

Short corner worked by Luke Murphy.

71:51

Richard Hughes concedes a free kick for a foul on Bradden Inman. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Luke Murphy, Steve Cook manages to make a clearance.

70:22

Corner taken left-footed by Matt Ritchie from the left by-line, Header from deep inside the area by Steve Cook goes over the bar.

70:02

The ball is crossed by Luke Murphy, Steve Cook makes a clearance.

68:04

A cross is delivered by Gregor Robertson, Daniel Seaborne manages to make a clearance.

67:51

Mathias Pogba sends in a cross, Daniel Seaborne makes a clearance.

65:55

Shot from outside the box by Harry Arter goes wide right of the target.

65:03

Unfair challenge on Kelvin Mellor by Eunan O'Kane results in a free kick. Luke Murphy restarts play with the free kick.

64:40

Unfair challenge on Luke Murphy by Harry Arter results in a free kick. Mark Ellis takes the free kick.

64:03

Centre by Kelvin Mellor, Simon Francis makes a clearance.

61:42

Matt Ritchie sends in a cross, clearance by Gregor Robertson.

61:06

Unfair challenge on Eunan O'Kane by Luke Murphy results in a free kick. Richard Hughes takes the direct free kick.

60:06

Chuks Aneke gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Daniel Seaborne. Direct free kick taken by Shwan Jalal.

58:47

Assist by Matt Ritchie.

58:47 Goal scored

Goal - Brett Pitman - Crewe 0 - 1 Bournem'th Placed penalty scored by Brett Pitman. Crewe 0-1 Bournemouth.

57:22

Matt Ritchie delivers the ball, Mark Ellis makes a clearance. Mathias Pogba concedes a Penalty for a foul on Matt Ritchie.

55:47

Effort from deep inside the area by Mathias Pogba misses to the left of the goal.

54:50

The ball is sent over by Mathias Pogba, Bradden Inman takes a shot. Shwan Jalal makes a save.

54:30

The ball is crossed by Bradden Inman, clearance by Steve Cook.

51:51

Simon Francis crosses the ball, Kelvin Mellor makes a clearance. Corner taken by Brett Pitman from the left by-line to the near post, save by Steve Phillips.

49:26

Foul by Richard Hughes on Bradden Inman, free kick awarded. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Luke Murphy.

49:03

Chuks Aneke sends in a cross, Simon Francis manages to make a clearance.

47:23

Bradden Inman delivers the ball, Ajay Leitch-Smith takes a shot. Save made by Shwan Jalal. Corner from the left by-line taken by Luke Murphy, save by Shwan Jalal. The referee blows for offside against Brett Pitman. Kelvin Mellor takes the indirect free kick.

45:18

The ball is crossed by Brett Pitman, Kelvin Mellor manages to make a clearance.

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:01 Substitution

Substitution Wes Fogden on for Josh McQuoid.

45:00 +2:35 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

45:00 +2:02

Short corner worked by Matt Ritchie. The ball is sent over by Brett Pitman, Mark Ellis manages to make a clearance.

45:00 +1:38

Foul by Mathias Pogba on Eunan O'Kane, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Richard Hughes.

43:24

The ball is delivered by Adam Dugdale, clearance made by Daniel Seaborne.

41:30

The ball is sent over by Abdul Osman, save by Shwan Jalal.

40:35

The ball is crossed by Luke Murphy, save by Shwan Jalal.

39:35

A cross is delivered by Gregor Robertson, Daniel Seaborne makes a clearance.

38:11

Kelvin Mellor delivers the ball, clearance made by Matt Ritchie.

34:55

The ball is sent over by Ajay Leitch-Smith, Steve Cook manages to make a clearance.

33:20

Richard Hughes takes a shot. Save by Steve Phillips.

32:45

Simon Francis crosses the ball, clearance by Adam Dugdale.

31:13

Free kick crossed by Luke Murphy, clearance made by Brett Pitman.

31:13 Booking

Booking Matt Ritchie receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

30:58

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mathias Pogba by Matt Ritchie.

29:26

The ball is crossed by Matt Ritchie, clearance made by Adam Dugdale. The ball is delivered by Brett Pitman, Abdul Osman manages to make a clearance. Josh McQuoid takes a shot. Luke Murphy gets a block in. Corner taken by Matt Ritchie. Simon Francis sends in a cross, clearance by Adam Dugdale. Eunan O'Kane has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box which goes wide right of the target.

28:17

Mathias Pogba concedes a free kick for a foul on Matt Ritchie. Free kick crossed by Brett Pitman, Mark Ellis makes a clearance. Outswinging corner taken by Brett Pitman, clearance by Abdul Osman.

28:01

Centre by Simon Francis, clearance by Kelvin Mellor.

24:28

Direct free kick taken by Richard Hughes.

24:28 Booking

Booking Bradden Inman receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

24:15

Abdul Osman is penalised for a handball.

22:52

The assistant referee flags for offside against Ajay Leitch-Smith. Direct free kick taken by Daniel Seaborne.

21:50

Effort from the edge of the box by Mark Ellis goes wide of the left-hand post.

20:07

Matt Ritchie gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Mathias Pogba. Free kick crossed right-footed by Luke Murphy from right wing, clearance by Steve Cook. Luke Murphy takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance by Eunan O'Kane. Kelvin Mellor sends in a cross, Daniel Seaborne manages to make a clearance.

16:17

Free kick awarded for a foul by Mathias Pogba on Matt Ritchie. Brett Pitman crosses the ball, Header by Lewis Grabban from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.

15:39

A cross is delivered by Kelvin Mellor, Chuks Aneke takes a shot. Save by Shwan Jalal.

14:27

The assistant referee flags for offside against Brett Pitman. Indirect free kick taken by Mark Ellis.

14:02

A cross is delivered by Luke Murphy, save made by Shwan Jalal.

12:20

Brett Pitman produces a cross, Headed effort from inside the area by Josh McQuoid misses to the right of the target.

11:39

The ball is crossed by Matt Ritchie, clearance made by Adam Dugdale.

11:15

Josh McQuoid crosses the ball, clearance by Mark Ellis.

10:14

Lewis Grabban crosses the ball, Mark Ellis manages to make a clearance.

9:30

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steve Cook by Ajay Leitch-Smith. Shwan Jalal restarts play with the free kick.

8:16

The ball is swung over by Kelvin Mellor, clearance by Steve Cook.

5:30

Brett Pitman decides to take a short corner. Matt Ritchie sends in a cross, save by Steve Phillips.

3:29

The ball is swung over by Luke Murphy, Daniel Seaborne makes a clearance.

2:50

A cross is delivered by Matt Ritchie, Mark Ellis makes a clearance.

0:19

Centre by Mathias Pogba, Luke Murphy takes a shot. Shwan Jalal makes a save. Luke Murphy decides to take the corner short, Chuks Aneke has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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