RYAN Garry’s header proved enough as Cherries deservedly continued their perfect start to the League Two season this afternoon.

The former Arsenal defender bravely netted the only goal of the game on the stroke of half-time to help Cherries seal a 1-0 victory over Rotherham at Dean Court.

It was the second consecutive weekend that Eddie Howe’s men had got the better of one of the division’s promotion favourites, following the 3-0 opening-day success at Bury.

And it was no more than they deserved after dominating for long periods – and enjoying by far the better of the chances – against Mark Robins’s Millers.

Cherries boss Howe made one change to the team which defeated Bury last weekend, with Garry replacing Scott Guyett at the heart of the back four.

Demonstrating the difference between the resources of the two teams, the visitors had the luxury of naming new big-money signing Adam Le Fondre on a full seven-man bench.

Howe, meanwhile, could only name six substitutes, with inexperienced quartet Josh McQuoid, Joe Partington, Ryan Pryce and George Webb joined by senior pros Alan Connell and Guyett.

It was Robins’s men who had the first chance of the match after just two minutes.

Paul Warne’s driven cross from the right was met by Kevin Ellison, who timed his run perfectly, only to slice a weak shot harmlessly wide.

Cherries responded with a couple of testing Warren Cummings corners, while Anton Robinson got an early grip on the midfield by breaking up play and distributing the ball intelligently.

Robinson’s colleague Mark Molesley also looked intent on bossing the midfield as he earned a 13th-minute booking for a late challenge.

In a quiet opening to the match, Cherries’ willingness to utilise the speed and skill of Liam Feeney soon became apparent, with most of their possession being shifted to the right-hand side.

But it was from the opposite flank that the hosts carved out a fine opportunity on 18 minutes.

Allowed time to measure his cross, Sammy Igoe picked Molesley out perfectly, but the onrushing midfielder arrived just too late to make a good connection on his diving header.

Having been named by the Independent as one of 10 Football League stars to watch this season, Feeney’s abilities should come as little surprise to League Two’s defences.

His best attributes were demonstrated on 20 minutes when he accelerated past left-back Jamie Green before picking out Brett Pitman in the centre. The striker’s header beat Andy Warrington but bounced agonisingly wide.

Cherries were now enjoying the better of the play against one of the promotion favourites and Warrington was called into action on the half-hour, Robinson’s left-foot volley proving straightforward enough to gather.

Rotherham replied by getting on the front foot and lively playmaker Nicky Law tried his luck from range, his shot flying well wide.

As the action continued to gather speed, Feeney again got the better of his marker to find the head of Pitman. But the homegrown forward again failed to hit the target.

Just when it seemed the teams would go in level at the interval, Cherries took a deserved lead on the stroke of half-time.

And it took a defender to show the forwards how to find the net.

A Cummings free-kick was flicked on by Steve Fletcher. It looked as if the ball would run out of play, but Lee Bradbury did brilliantly to dig out a cross and Garry was on hand to head home bravely from close range for his first goal in senior football.

The goal was Garry’s last act in the match as he failed to come out for the second half, with Guyett his replacement in central defence.

But Cherries picked up where they left off and started brightly, with Igoe firing just over from 25 yards after good work from Robinson and Molesley.

And the hosts continued to push forward, with only the woodwork denying them a second on 52 minutes.

Robinson won a free-kick 20 yards from goal and Pitman’s fine, curling effort left Warrington flat-footed, only for the keeper to be saved by his post.

Robins decided he’d seen enough and called on Le Fondre as the Millers looked to make an impression on the contest.

The substitution failed to knock Cherries off their stride, however, and the crowd were on their feet as the hosts produced the most exciting passage of play so far on 58 minutes.

A surging run from Cummings and clever flick from Igoe released the left-back on a surging run, but his deep cross had just too much power on it for the onrushing Feeney.

As Cherries pushed for a second, they had a luck escape, with Rotherham coming close to an equaliser through Warne, who turned sharply but fired narrowly wide.

Robins made more changes with Micky Cummins and Ryan Taylor introduced, while Bradbury and Warne were both booked following a scuffle.

With time running out in their search for the equaliser, the visitors tried to force the issue. But it was Cherries who continued to enjoy the better of the chances.

And Pitman almost put the game to bed in the 80th minute after some brilliant play by Robinson, but the striker’s goalbound effort was blocked at the last moment by Cummins.

Then Le Fondre should have done better at the other end after beating Guyett, but he over hit his cross when well placed.

But Cherries survived the closing stages without any major scares and even held firm into the 52nd minute, with referee Steven Cook opting to add plenty of stoppage time.

Cherries: (4-4-2) Jalal; Bradbury, Pearce, Garry (Guyett, h-t), Cummings; Feeney, Robinson, Molesley, Igoe (McQuoid, 90); Pitman (Partington, 88), Fletcher. Unused subs: Connell, Pryce, Webb.

Booked: Molesley, Bradbury, Cummings

Rotherham: (4-4-1-1) Warrington; Tonge, Sharps, Fenton, Green; Warne, Mills, J Taylor (Cummins, 71), Ellison (Le Fondre, 54); Law; Pope (R Taylor, 71). Unused subs: Harrison, Joseph, Annerson, Liddell.

Booked: Warne

Referee: Steven Cook (Surrey)

Attendance: 5,091