CHERRIES’ run in the FA Cup barely got off the ground as they were dispatched 4-2 by Burnley in the third round, thanks to a carousel of mistakes in their own half.

Premier League Cherries were made to look sloppy and disorganised by a well-drilled Clarets side sitting atop of the second tier, with the away side 3-1 up at the break courtesy of Manuel Benson and an Anass Zaroury double.

Ryan Christie’s first-half strike was doubled by Dom Solanke early on in the second period, but any hopes of a comeback were quelled when Benson added a second of his own.

Both sides made changes from their latest league fixtures, Gary O’Neil rotating Jefferson Lerma, Lloyd Kelly, and Chris Mepham out for Joe Rothwell, Jordan Zemura, and Jack Stephens respectively.

Despite Cherries starting with energy and intent, it would be the away side that opened the scores just six minutes into the contest.

Defender Marcos Senesi was punished for losing the ball in the wrong area, the centre-back high above the rest of his backline.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson picked up the loose ball before slipping in Benson, who had plenty of time and space to fire home due to the absence of Senesi, his marker.

However, despite being gifted the lead, Burnley were also in a generous mood, another defensive mistake allowing Cherries to restore parity minutes later.

Goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell was rushed into passing to Josh Cullen, with the receiver then panicking further, slicing the ball into the path of Christie.

With the goal agape in front of him, the Scot did well to steer the curving ball into the back of the net.

The game’s third goal followed the same vein, with Cherries once more caught out in possession.

Lewis Cook turned after receiving the ball to find himself sandwiched between two Burnley players, the away side quickly working the ball into the box to allow Zaroury a tap in.

A VAR check for offside was the closest the move came to being denied, with the winger eventually deemed onside.

Burnley wasted no time in doubling their lead, Zaroury showing deft footwork to evade a static looking Cherries defence before curling past Mark Travers.

A triple change at the break seemingly gave Cherries new life, with the hosts halving the deficit shortly after the break.

Christie’s direct run into the box was teed up by substitute Kieffer Moore, the Scot feeding Solanke who took two attempts to score his side’s second.

Any optimism for the remainder of the game fizzled out when the hosts gave away a third poor goal.

Kelly, another half-time sub, put Christie in a difficult position with a high ball that was swiftly won by the Clarets and advanced towards the Cherries box.

Thinking the run of Benson was being tracked by Smith, captain Kelly eased up in his pursuit of the attacker, allowing the Belgian to fire past Travers unopposed.

The fourth goal took the sting out of the game, leaving to an angst-filled finale that ended in considerable booing from the Vitality Stadium.

Cherries: Travers, Smith, Stephens, Senesi (Stacey, h-t), Zemura (Kelly, h-t); Cook, Billing, Rothwell (Moore, h-t); Anthony, Solanke, Christie (Dembele, 69)

Unused subs: Plain (g/k), Mepham, Marcondes, Lowe, Dembele, Pearson

Booked: Smith

Burnley: Peacock-Farrell, Taylor, Harwood-Bellis (McNally, 27), Berg Gudmundsson (Cork, 70), Brownhill, Roberts, Benson (Tella, 70), Zaroury (Churlinov, 81), Cullen, Beyer

Unused subs: Mujric (g/k), Egan-Riley, Twine, Bastien, Dervisoglu

Referee: Tim Robinson