STEVE Cook admitted Cherries “didn’t really turn up” against an irresistible Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane and acknowledged "it could have been more".

Cherries allowed Christian Eriksen's corner to travel across their own box for Mousa Dembele to hammer Spurs into a 16th-minute lead.

And the visitors contributed to their own downfall again shortly after when Harry Kane sent Son Heung-min through to score after Jack Wilshere had cheaply given up possession.

Second-half goals from Kane and Vincent Janssen completed a resounding victory for Mauricio Pochettino’s title challengers.

Cherries did at least maintain their seven-point cushion to the bottom three following Swansea's 1-0 defeat at Watford.

Defender Cook told the Daily Echo: “The goals we conceded were soft again. That is frustrating because, over the past month or so, we have been on a good run and looked quite strong.

“It was a very difficult afternoon for us and probably the most pressure we had been under all season. It was hard to take.

“It was the first game in a long time when we haven’t really turned up. All credit to Tottenham, though, I thought they were outstanding."

Cherries' trip to second-placed Spurs came seven days after they hosted Premier League frontrunners Chelsea.

In both matches, they conceded the game’s second goal three minutes after they had let in the first.

“We did the same thing last week and it is something that has to stop,” said Cook. “Once you go 2-0 down to these sorts of sides, it is basically impossible to come back.

“When they scored the third, we said to try to keep it at that. We nearly did it but the fourth goal just summed up our afternoon.

"They were clinical and, in reality, it could have been more.

“But anything we took from these past three games was always going to be a bonus. We went to Liverpool and got a point, then we played the top two teams in the league.

“We lost to Chelsea but we did play fairly well against them. Now we’ve lost 4-0 at Tottenham and not played well at all against an outstanding side.

“Sometimes you just have to learn your lesson and move on as quickly as possible.”

Despite Chelsea holding the whip hand at the top of the table, Cook insisted he had encountered the country’s finest team on Saturday.

Indeed, after his near-two seasons in the Premier League, the centre-back claimed Pochettino’s collection of skilful, athletic operators were the toughest opponents he had faced.

“They were everything,” continued Cook. “They covered every inch of grass, they didn’t let us have a pass and limited us to very soft chances and they were always a threat going forward.

“Their movement, their touches and the intensity they play at is so difficult to cope with.

“I think it was a complete performance from their point of view.

"Now we have five cup finals to play. Our destiny is in our own hands. The Middlesbrough game is a six-pointer and one we have to win."