YANN Kermorgant plundered his maiden career hat-trick before admitting he knew he had to make a good first impression on Cherries boss Eddie Howe.

Striker Kermorgant delivered in style after being handed his first start as Cherries recorded a convincing 5-0 win over Doncaster at Dean Court on Saturday.

The Frenchman, a £400,000 signing from Charlton in January, opened the scoring with a composed right-foot finish before showing his aerial prowess to net with two headers.

His treble, coupled with Harry Arter’s finely-taken double, earned Cherries their biggest win in the second flight as Howe’s men moved 12 points clear of the Championship drop zone.

Kermorgant, who established himself as a regular starter with former club Charlton, had come off the bench in his first four appearances for Cherries.

He told the Daily Echo: “I was very happy because it was my first start and I needed to show something to make the difference for the team.

“I thought I might have started earlier and was beginning to think maybe I had done something wrong after four games in a row on the bench.

“When I signed, the manager said he couldn’t promise I would start every game. Maybe four games in a row on the bench was a big surprise for me but you know you have to work hard in training and be ready when the manager asks you to play.

“When you sign for a new team, you need time to settle with your new team-mates. When I first arrived, the weather was not the best so we didn’t train a lot. It would have been tough for the manager to put me straight in so I have had to work hard, be patient and look to take my chance when it came.

“I knew I would have to play well and score. I didn’t want to stay on the bench for too long so, hopefully, I have proved and shown I want to play in the next game. I thought we played well as a team and it was a good result. I hope I can carry on. I love scoring goals but winning and playing well are more important. If someone else scores and we win the next game, I will be just as happy as I am today.

“I was pleased to score the first goal because I had had a couple of other chances. Sometimes, you don’t get any chances in a game but I knew that if I kept going, more would come along and they did. The crosses were quality and I just finished them. I am a team player and my ambition is to go higher with this club.”

Kermorgant dedicated his treble to his wife Melvina, his three-year-old son Matheo – who were among the crowd – and his parents, who had been following events from the family home in Vannes, Brittany.

The 32-year-old, who had planned to celebrate with either a glass of wine or champagne, said: “I know my dad was buzzing, I just hope he didn’t break the sofa!

“My parents follow as much as they can on the Internet. I will get the ball signed by the lads and keep it for my son. My wife is very important for me and my life. It was a tough decision to leave Charlton for us as a family and I would like to dedicate it to my wife, my son and my parents.”