AN ENTIRELY-changed Cherries side effortlessly cruised into the third round of the League Cup with a 4-0 romp at Hartlepool United.

Adam Federici, Sylvain Distin, Tyrone Mings and Christian Atsu made their competitive debuts and Lee Tomlin his first start as Eddie Howe’s men ruthlessly put to the sword their League Two opponents.

The visitors were lively from the off with Ghana international Atsu gliding past Carl Magnay and Jake Carroll only to thump the underside of the bar inside two minutes.

Cherries probed with purpose but many promising breaks came to nothing due to poor deliveries from wide areas and forward players not quite reading the intentions of their team-mates.

But the visitors kept pressing and the breakthrough came with half an hour on the clock.

Junior Stanislas popped up on the right, turned towards the goal line and then checked back on his marker before finding Yann Kermorgant to stroke home the opener. 

The second then duly arrived four minutes later.

A quick exchange of passes down the left ended with the ball being nudged into Gosling, whose fierce hit flew inside keeper Adam Bartlett's near post for the midfielder’s sixth League Cup goal in as many appearances for Cherries.

And the game was up a minute before half-time when Stanislas effortlessly caressed a swirling free-kick round the wall which Bartlett, frantically diving to his right, could not keep out despite getting a touch.

The second half followed the same pattern with Cherries midfielder Shaun MacDonald turning on the style, waltzing through the centre to find Kermorgant who dinked in Tomlin but Bartlett charged down the ex-Middlesbrough man’s effort.

Kermorgant then flicked in Stanislas to hit the outside of the post before Tomlin’s mesmeric run ended with a shot which was deflected narrowly wide in a crowded penalty area.

The much-anticipated fourth was not far away, however, with star man Adam Smith steaming down the right and pulling back for Atsu to find Stanislas who rounded Bartlett to net on 64 minutes.

Substitute Tokelo Rantie harshly had a goal chalked off on 71 minutes for what appeared to be an incorrect offside flag.

Pools substitute Brad Walker forced a fingertip save from the almost-redundant Adam Federici, while Atsu might have scored after more wonderful footwork from Tomlin.

There was a special moment for Cherries youth product Matt Butcher, who was handed his professional debut with 13 minutes to go, while former Dean Court trialist Rakish Bingham wasted United's best two chances late on. 

Having progressed, Cherries were handed an away draw at Championship newcomers Preston North End in the last 32 and will travel to Deepdale in the week commencing September 21.

POOLS: Bartlett, Duckworth, Harrison, Boyce, Carroll, Magnay, Featherstone, Woods (Walker, 64), Oates (C Smith, 64), Paynter (Fenwick, h-t), Bingham. Unused subs: Jones, Oyenuga, Nelson-Addy, Denton (g/k).

CHERRIES: Federici 7, Smith 8.5 (Butcher, 77), Distin 8, Cargill 7, Mings 7.5, Atsu 8 (Ritchie, 77), Gosling 7.5, MacDonald 8, Stanislas 8, Tomlin 8.5, Kermorgant 8 (Rantie, 64). Unused subs: Surman, Ward, Costa, Allsop (g/k).

Booked: Cargill.

REFEREE: Carl Boyeson (East Yorkshire).

ATTENDANCE: 4,890, including 164 visiting supporters.