CHERRIES ended 2016 on a resounding note by winning 3-0 at Swansea City to record their second success on the road in this campaign.

Benik Afobe, recalled to the side here after starting the Boxing Day clash at Chelsea on the bench, poked Cherries ahead after 25 minutes.

And it was another player restored to the starting line-up by Eddie Howe – Ryan Fraser – who rammed home his side's second in first-half stoppage time.

The manager continued to apply the Midas touch when he sent on Joshua King to scurry clear and slot beyond Lukasz Fabianski to seal Cherries biggest ever top-flight away win.

Indeed, this could have been even more convincing for an away side that played with an aggression and freedom belying the fact they came into the game on the back of successive defeats.

Shorn of the millstone sacked boss Bob Bradley appeared to have become around Swansea's neck, there was a real buzz around the Liberty Stadium during the game's opening phases.

And that energy and enthusiasm on the terraces was being replicated on the pitch, something evident inside the first 60 seconds, when Ki Sung-Yueng scythed down Ryan Fraser.

The Korean was booked for his troubles.

Without Nathan Ake's intervention the hosts' early good work might have been allowed to gather some substantial momentum.

Neil Taylor intercepted Steve Cook's forward ball and proceeded to set off on a run half the length of the pitch, before squaring for Leroy Fer.

When Fernando Llorente collected Fer's lay-off, though, he found his route to goal blocked by the Ake, putting his body in the way of the Spaniard's strike.

Given Eddie Howe's pre-match call for his side to avoid allowing Swans to build up a head of steam it was a vital moment; afforded greater context when Taylor's subsequent aimless ball, pumped down the left, was met by a cacophony of jeers.

Cherries, at this juncture, were struggling to prey on the home team's frayed nerves at the other end of the pitch, much of their intricate passing dying a death when it reached the cusp of Swansea's box.

Charlie Daniels thrashed one effort high and wide, while Fabianski tipped over from Junior Stanislas after good work by Simon Francis down the right.

Right back Francis's opposite number, Kyle Naughton, then took it upon himself to do some attacking of his own.

The former Spurs player exchanged passes with Nathan Dyer before crossing just beyond the stretching Llorente.

And when Llorente got on the end of Naughton's next delivery the ex-Juventus forward headed narrowly wide.

Stanislas shot off target again after latching onto another Francis pass – but Cherries' next incursion into enemy territory brought something more rewarding altogether.

Afobe shrugged off Alfie Mawson to hold up play and feed the hitherto frustrated Jack Wilshere.

Wilshere glided across the box, waiting for the ideal moment to slide in Fraser, whose subsequent cut back was turned towards his own goal by Jordi Amat – later cautioned for a hopelessly ill-timed tackle on Fraser.

Fabianski reacted well to spare his team-mate the indignity of putting through his own net, but the Pole could do nothing to to prevent Afobe from knocking home the rebound.

Afobe was soon getting the home support's back up once more, the striker making a back for Mawson and leaving the Swans' centre half in a heap on the turf.

That Afobe's deed went unpunished only added to a growing sense of injustice in the Liberty stands.

Harry Arter struck wide three minutes before the break following a sweet build-up involving Daniels, Wilshere and Afobe.

And it was more slick, inventive football from Cherries that pushed Swansea back on their heels and ultimately sent Howe's team into the break with a two-goal lead.

Francis and Arter combined to bring the ball forward, but it was when Francis went inside to Stanislas that things stepped up a notch.

The winger's gossamer touch helped the ball onto Wilshere, who promptly returned it to Stanislas.

With the goal opening up for him, the ex-West Ham man coolly lifted his head and rolled in a cross in for Fraser to slam the ball high into the net from a yard out.

Ki's outstretched leg prevented Afobe's pass from teeing up Stanislas immediately after the restart, with Daniels then bravely blocking Naughton's fierce strike at the other end.

Shortly after, Stanislas and Afobe both had gilt-edged chances to kill the game.

The former's first touch to push Wilshere's pass out of his feet and shimmy past Taylor was marvellous. His finish, though, dragged past the far post, didn't quite match up to what went before it.

Afobe was then horribly wayward with a shot at the end of a lightning counter involving Arter and Wilshere.

Such was Cherries' superiority by now, though, that one chance was following another.

Stanislas's beautifully weighted through ball put Afobe in on Fabianski, the keeper coming out on top in this particular duel by saving with his legs.

The earlier buoyant mood in this part of South Wales was giving way to chants demanding the exit of Swans chairman Huw Jenkins, when the home team nearly found a way back into the game.

Artur Boruc initially fumbled substitute Oliver McBurnie's goalbound header from Gylfi Sigurdsson's floated corner, but Cherries No 1 reacted sharply enough to snaffle the loose ball.

That, along with a speculative Naughton effort comfortably tamed by Boruc, was about the extent of Swansea's threat, and as the dying embers of the contest played out Howe – eight years to the day after he first took charge – was responding to the travelling fans' request for a wave.

He then watched on as King streaked onto Daniels' pass down the left and finished expertly across Fabianski.

It was that sort of day, one that ended with Cherries 10th in the Premier League, 81 places higher than their position when Howe first rode to the rescue.

Swansea City (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Naughton, Amat, Mawson, Taylor; Britton (Cork, 66), Ki; Dyer, Fer (Barrow, 38), Sigurdsson; Llorente (McBurnie, 57).

Unused subs: Borja, Rangel, Fernandez, Nordfeldt (g/k).

Booked: Ki, Amat.

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Boruc; Francis, Cook, Ake, Daniels; Stanislas (Smith, 72), Surman (Gosling, 89), Arter, Fraser (King, 72); Wilshere; Afobe.

Unused subs: Wilson, Mings, Ibe, Federici (g/k).

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicester).

Attendance: 20,316