CHERRIES were sent spinning to defeat by a European treble as Stoke City completed a Premier League double over the Dorset club.

GALLERY: Click to see all our pictures from the game

WATCH: Stoke boss Mark Hughes 

WATCH: Eddie Howe speaks out after defeat at home

Goals from Frenchman Giannelli Imbula, Dutchman Ibrahim Afellay and Spaniard Joselu saw the Potters follow up their 2-1 win at the Britannia Stadium in September.

And although Matt Ritchie came off the bench to reduce the arrears after 57 minutes, the hosts were unable to make any further inroads.

Cherries went behind when recent signing Imbula netted with a stunning 25-yard volley to open the scoring after nine minutes.

And Afellay doubled the Potters’ lead just seven minutes after the break with a rasping strike from a Jonathan Walters cut-back.

Bournemouth Echo:

It got worse for Eddie Howe’s team when Stoke substitute Joselu planted a cross from Xherdan Shaqiri past Artur Boruc to make it 3-0 after 55 minutes.

But Ritchie’s strike after 57 minutes gave Cherries hope of staging a comeback, the winger registering his third Premier League goal from a Charlie Daniels cross.

However, despite a vastly-improved second-half showing from Cherries, they were unable to salvage a point.

Boss Howe made one change from the 2-0 defeat to Arsenal with Junior Stanislas returning to the starting line-up at the expense of Ritchie, who dropped to the bench.

Bournemouth Echo:

Walters returned from a virus in place of Marko Arnautovic, a constant thorn in the side when Cherries lost 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium in September.

Imbula, Stoke’s club record £18.3million signing from Porto last month, started his first away game for the Potters since his move.

Although Cherries had plenty of early possession, they were rocked when the visitors opened the scoring through Imbula after just nine minutes.

The Frenchman seized on Simon Francis’s attempted clearance and fired a sumptuous volley past Cherries goalkeeper Boruc from 25 yards.

Walters found the side netting before referee Graham Scott finally reached for his book after 20 minutes, showing a yellow card to Mame Birman Diouf for his persistent fouling.

Bournemouth Echo:

Shaqiri, who had been involved in the build up to Stoke’s opener, saw his thunderous drive beaten away by Boruc midway through the first half.

Cherries’ first meaningful effort came in the 27th minute when a piledriver from Francis was deflected for a corner.

Boruc pouched a left-foot strike from Walters after the Republic of Ireland striker had been picked out by Diouf’s ball over the top.

Marc Pugh was booked for an innocuous challenge on Shaqiri before the pint-sized Swiss rolled his shot past the post after being put through.

Bournemouth Echo:

A cross-shot from Charlie Daniels was pushed away by Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland before a major talking point at the end of the first half saw Benik Afobe go to ground following a coming together with Marc Muniesa.

Pugh and Gosling were sacrificed at the break with Josh King and Ritchie coming on to replace them, while Stoke also made a change with Dionatan Teoxeira replacing Muniesa.

King went close to scoring with his first touch, but after latching on to Andrew Surman’s hooked pass, his close range effort was saved by Butland’s outstretched left leg. And the follow up from Ritchie was charged down.

Afellay doubled Stoke’s lead seven minutes after the break when he rifled home an unstoppable drive from the edge of the box after being teed up by Walters.

Bournemouth Echo:

And Cherries were left with a mountain to climb after substitute Joselu came off the bench to head a third goal past Boruc following a cross from Shaqiri.

Ritchie threw them a lifeline when he reduced the arrears on 57 minutes, the winger sweeping a delightful volley past Butland from just inside the 18-yard box after getting on the end of a Daniels centre.

Afobe sliced horribly wide after a Junior Stanislas corner had been flicked on, while Ritchie was inches from making it 3-2 but could not convert at the far post.

Stanislas was unable to get a telling touch to King’s driven cross and, despite enjoying the better of the second half, Cherries failed to find a way past a stubborn Stoke back-line. 

Cherries: Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Stanislas (Iturbe, 74), Gosling (Ritchie, h-t), Surman, Arter, Pugh (King, h-t), Afobe.

Unused subs: Grabban, Distin, O’Kane, Federici (g/k).

Booked: Pugh, Surman, Francis, Arter.

Stoke: Butland, Johnson (Joselu, 53), Pieters, Wollscheid, Muniesa (Teixeira, h-t), Whelan, Imbula, Shaqiri, Afellay (Ireland, 85), Walters, Diouf.

Unused subs: Odemwingie, Bojan, Crouch, Haugaard (g/k).

Booked: Diouf, Imbula.

Referee: Graham Scott (Oxfordshire).

Attendance: 10,863 (including 1,245 away supporters).