WELL, it had to end some time.

Unbeaten sequences in the Championship are generally fleeting affairs, such is the rat race to reach the Premier League.

Separation is inevitable.

For Cherries, the romance lasted longer than it had for any team in the second tier this season. Fourteen matches that, most importantly, took Eddie Howe’s men to the summit.

And while there were grounds for divorce against Norwich, this was far from a collapse.

A slightly off-colour display, an iffy equaliser and a blistering strike worthy of winning any match conspired to end Cherries’ profitable marriage with their relentless pocketing of points.

By their own high standards, Cherries did not set the world alight but still matched an ambitious Norwich outfit packed with quality in what was an engaging contest. On paper, City have a side that should be challenging for the top two and they showed why.

Some would call it game-management, others time-wasting, but the Canaries took their moment of fortune in the first half, rolled with the punches in the second and sealed victory with a special goal. A classic away performance.

Cherries will rue lacking their usual verve and swagger, especially after Jonny Howson’s 64th-minute dismissal.

They will curse the decision not to chalk off Norwich’s equaliser for handball and will wonder what might have been had Marc Pugh taken a little more time over his volley at 1-0.

But this was not a bad performance by any stretch of the imagination. Indeed, the defeat was probably harsh on the balance of play.

Norwich started well and stroked the ball round like few other teams had dared to at Dean Court so far this season.

Bradley Johnson nodded on to the roof of the net from Nathan Redmond’s fierce centre after just four minutes, while Tommy Elphick and Charlie Daniels were at full stretch to stifle Cameron Jerome moments later.

Callum Wilson flashed a drive wide having caught Steven Whittaker in possession but it was the visitors who continued to pose the greater threat.

Steve Cook threw himself in front of livewire Redmond’s stinging shot but Cherries soon reaped the rewards of soaking up that early pressure with an incisive move after 18 minutes.

A dominant phase with the ball ended with Daniels and Harry Arter combining to release Pugh, his centre landing perfectly for Ritchie to time his run and lash home a low drive from just inside the area.

Six minutes later, Pugh could, and possibly should, have doubled Cherries’ lead. An intricate passage of play between Daniels and Wilson saw Pitman flick into Pugh’s path, only for his first-time volley to clear the crossbar.

At the other end, Jerome forced Artur Boruc into a scrambling near-post save, while Howson fired over after Ritchie had opted for a short pass in his own box ahead of clearing the danger.

Then came the moment of controversy.

Redmond’s corner was met by Jerome whose off-target header struck defender Michael Turner’s outstretched arm and bounced invitingly into the path of Gary Hooper to bury the equaliser.

The level of Turner’s intent could be debated but his arm was in an unnatural position and guided the ball back into the danger zone.

Arter led the vehement protestations to referee Chris Foy and assistant Mick McDonough – who was best placed to spot the infringement – but they were to no avail. The goal stood.

City could have credibly argued that they had deserved to be on level terms at the break but it was Cherries who began the second half on top.

Pugh’s goalbound header was punched on to his own defender by Norwich stopper John Ruddy, who gathered at the second attempt with Wilson lurking and neat build-up play involving Arter and Pugh created a chance for Pitman but his dipping drive was straight at the goalkeeper.

Norwich were reduced to 10 men when Foy brandished a straight red card following Howson’s lunge on Yann Kermorgant midway through the second half.

Wilson was denied when Ruddy turned his effort for a corner before Ritchie’s curling effort from an Arter cut-back flashed wide of the post.

Ritchie drilled wide when well placed but it was Norwich who landed the killer blow 10 minutes from time.

Cook’s header dropped kindly for Bradley Johnson to nod into Hooper with the striker’s flick bouncing off Cook and into the path of Jerome, whose delightful first-time hit swirled past Boruc into the top far corner.

But bar a wild shot from Arter and a deflected effort from Gosling, Norwich efficiently ran down the clock to stall the Cherries juggernaut and secure a memorable success for new boss Alex Neil.

Up next, Rotherham and, on paper at least, a chance to begin another charge. The run is dead... long live the run?