IT was the one hat-trick Lee Bradbury’s curriculum vitae could well have done without.

Having experienced many highs and lows during an eventful 15-year playing career, Bradbury has gone through all the emotions of management in just nine weeks.

However, the diatribe and fall-out that greeted Cherries’ third consecutive defeat under his stewardship will probably have come as a shock to the system for Bradbury.

In overseeing a record-breaking 10-match unbeaten run after replacing Eddie Howe, Bradbury must have thought the doubting Thomases would remain underground.

Short-listed for the League One manager of the month in February, in the eyes of some deluded Cherries followers, Bradbury is now in line for the public enemy number one gong for March.

The knee-jerkers have again reared their ugly and anonymous heads, with some posters to Internet forums clearly revelling in Bradbury’s misfortune.

While the past few days have been anything but a time for rejoicing, to call for Bradbury’s head and to query the merits of his appointment have been nothing short of preposterous.

Although the current form table does make for grim reading, to judge Bradbury after 13 games and to condemn him following three straight defeats is simply ludicrous.

A pre-season poll of realistic Cherries supporters probably would have seen a small percentage tip a challenge for the play-offs. Most would have forecast a lower to mid-table finish, while some may have predicted a season of struggle. None would have gone for automatic promotion.

Recent statistics certainly pointed to consolidation being the rule rather than the exception for clubs promoted from the bottom flight. Between 2005 and 2009, of the 20 teams coming up, only two managed back-to-back promotions, while two others finished in the top six. Three went straight back down.

And as another memorable campaign for Cherries fans prepares to reach a dramatic conclusion, none would want to swap places with any of the three clubs promoted alongside them last season. While Rochdale are holding their own, Notts County and Dagenham & Redbridge are in the mix at the wrong end.

It has been a lean time for the dissenters and doubters, even if their hopes for an instant return to League Two were briefly raised by an opening day defeat at Charlton. Until now, they had been in hibernation since Cherries last lost three on the bounce, midway through last season.

While expectations have soared thanks to Cherries’ heroics under both Howe and Bradbury, their shortcomings have come home to roost over the past couple of weeks when a large dose of realism has finally started to take effect.

In December, when pundit Steve Claridge had the temerity to suggest Cherries were neither strong enough nor wise enough to sustain their challenge for automatic promotion, he was shouted down. It remains to be seen whether he was right or wrong, although three losses in 12 days is hardly the form of champions or runners-up.

A peep into the Dean Court treatment suite this week followed by a cursory glance at Saturday’s team-sheet told its own story. While injuries will stalk all teams, Cherries’ fragile squad has always seemed ill equipped to cope with too many.

Again shorn of striker Michael Symes, Bradbury asked teenagers Lauri Dalla Valle and Danny Ings to shoulder the goalscoring responsibilities against Carlisle. The inclusion of Stephen Purches at left-back did nothing to weaken the starting line-up, with Cherries reasonably sound defensively.

It was all set up for Cherries to stop the rot. The Brunton Park playing surface was like a billiard table, while the opponents were still smarting following a 6-0 thrashing at Peterborough. Some Carlisle players may also have had one eye on their impending Wembley date in the final of the LDV Vans Trophy.

However, despite an encouraging start, with Marc Pugh warming Adam Collin’s hands early on, Peter Murphy’s goal after 26 minutes knocked the wind out of Cherries’ sails.

It could have been worse had Murphy’s header on the stroke of half-time not flashed inches past the post and had Ben Marshall not missed with the goal at his mercy in the second half, with Shwan Jalal culpable for both chances.

Cherries desperately needed a spark and Bradbury’s options were limited due to their lack of depth.

With his five other outfield substitutes having little or no experience, his only choice was 38-year-old assistant manager Steve Fletcher.

While Fletcher’s introduction enlivened Cherries, it was Ings who had their two best chances to restore parity. However, Collin was equal to his first effort, a rasping shot from 16 yards, before the 18-year-old dragged wide an angle drive with only the Carlisle goalkeeper to beat.

With three defeats having seen Cherries slip from second to fifth and the gap to seventh place narrowed from 13 points to five, their predicament was summed up by a local reporter filing copy over the phone following the final whistle.

“Promotion-chasing Bournemouth,” had been his opening line until he quickly changed it. “Make that play-off hopefuls, would you.”