THE art of the 1-0 victory can be difficult to master.

To shut down a game that is fundamentally very much alive is a challenge that many teams have attempted and failed.

Cherries made it look easy against Charlton.

It was the sort of performance that did nothing to reduce the growing swell of opinion that Eddie Howe’s side are top-six material.

After all, the visitors were no mugs. At 3pm yesterday they were one of only two sides in the Football League that had avoided a league defeat in the opening two-and-a-half months of the season.

However, at 5pm, Cherries had brought the Addicks’ record crashing to the ground, and in emphatic fashion.

Charlton were made to look run-of-the-mill by their hosts. They barely had a kick, let alone a shot. If such a thing exists, it was a dominant 1-0 victory.

Nine points out of a possible 12 in the Championship have catapulted Cherries to within two points of the play-off spots, with Charlton one of eight teams above them.

Among the top six sides are league leaders Watford and Norwich – both of which Howe’s troops deservedly held earlier this season.

Sure, the fixtures against Derby and Nottingham Forest ended in defeat, but Cherries were in both of those games for long periods. They competed, caused trouble, looked dangerous.

Suddenly, a healthy argument for a play-off tilt begins to emerge.

Boss Howe, who made no substitutes during the 90 minutes against Charlton, handed Brett Pitman his first league start of the season in the absence of suspended striker Yann Kermorgant, a former favourite at the Valley.

A careless pass from Johann Berg Gudmundsson was all it took to set Cherries on their way with less than two-and-a-half minutes gone.

The Iceland international laid the ball straight into the path of Matt Ritchie, who drove forward and forced keeper Stephen Henderson to parry behind his stinging shot.

From the resulting corner, the ball was worked round the edge of the area to Marc Pugh, who beat Jordan Cousins and pulled back for Callum Wilson to slam home his eighth goal of the season.

Charlton stirred slightly after that and captain Johnnie Jackson blasted over after Charlie Daniels had done enough to subdue Karlan Ahearne-Grant – making his full league debut at the age of 17.

Wilson came close to doubling the advantage with a near-post effort from Ritchie’s free-kick, before the Addicks had undoubtedly their clearest chance in the 23rd minute.

Daniels brought down Gudmundsson just outside the box and the Charlton winger got to his feet and curled an inch-perfect drive round the wall, only to be thwarted by an outstanding save from the well placed Artur Boruc.

Cherries were in command for the remainder of the first period. Wilson latched on to Pitman’s pass but after skipping past Henderson, the ex-Coventry hitman directed into the side-netting from a tight angle.

In more direct play, Ritchie’s deep corner picked out Steve Cook unmarked and the centre-half’s looping header across goal dropped a fraction wide of the right post.

The industrious Pitman was then twice off-target and in between, midfielder Andrew Surman had a more meaningful dig when he tested Henderson from range.

Referee James Linington resisted the temptation to hand Jackson a second yellow card later in the half but the captain was withdrawn by Addicks boss Bob Peeters at the break anyway, as was striker Igor Vetokele due to an Achilles injury.

The away side subsequently operated with Ahearne-Grant as a lone frontman and for the vast majority of the second half, the youngster was denied the support he craved.

In truth, the second period was not 45 minutes that will live long in the memory of either side.

A crude challenge by Chris Solly on Wilson was the only talking point up until Surman and former Valley man Harry Arter went close in quick succession, the latter clipping |the top of the bar from close range.

Further half-chances followed for Pugh and Arter, while Ritchie put his laces through the ball on the edge of the area, only to see the effort flash a yard wide of the upright.

Charlton created their first decent opportunity from open play with 16 minutes left. Ahearne-Grant found space some 20 yards out but snatched at his shot and Boruc saved easily to his left.

At the other end, Cook nodded onto the roof of the net from Ritchie’s deep delivery before the visitors gave their hosts a late scare.

Boruc elected not to come for a high, hopeful cross from Callum Harriott and his fellow substitute Lawrie Wilson headed straight at Boruc from an acute angle, before stabbing weakly wide on the follow-up.

MATCH FACTS

Cherries: Boruc 7; Francis 7, Cook 8, Elphick 8, Daniels 7.5; Ritchie 7.5, Arter 7, Surman 7, Pugh 7.5; Pitman 7, Wilson 8.

Unused subs: Harte, Gosling, Smith, Stanislas, Fraser, Rantie, Camp (g/k).

Booked: Daniels.

Addicks: Henderson; Solly, Bikey, Ben Haim, Wiggins; Gudmundsson (Wilson, 67), Buyens, Jackson (Moussa, h/t), Cousins; Ahearne-Grant, Vetokele (Harriott, h-t).

Unused subs: Morrison, Fox, Tucudean, Pope (g/k).

Booked: Jackson, Solly, Henderson.

Referee: James Linington (Newport, Isle of Wight).

Attendance: 10,360 (including 1,388 away supporters).

STAR MAN – TOMMY ELPHICK

What better way to celebrate a new deal than with a clean sheet and a rock-solid performance?

Yesterday, Elphick showed all the qualities to which Cherries supporters have become accustomed – and can look forward to for another two-and-a-half years.

There was little to choose between Elphick and Cook, who was also superb, and even better was that the duo’s partnership was greater than the considerable sum total of both players.

On this evidence, it was not difficult to see why they have played every minute of the Championship season to date.