BRETT Pitman laid claim to netting the winning goal as Cherries stopped the rot on the road with a deserved 1-0 victory at Doncaster today.

Pitman was credited with the final touch after Charlie Daniels’s 30th-minute free-kick had caused mayhem in the Rovers 18-yard box.

Victory saw Cherries chalk up their first away points in the Championship following heavy defeats at Watford and Huddersfield.

Cherries made a promising start with Elliott Ward’s goalbound effort deflected wide and a Harry Arter strike blocked following a Charlie Daniels corner.

Arter then tried his luck from 30 yards, the midfielder’s strike flashing past the upright, before Ryan Fraser fired into the arms of Rovers goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

Brett Pitman went close to breaking the deadlock after 20 minutes when his header from a Daniels cross struck the crossbar with Turnbull beaten all ends up.

Cherries goalkeeper Ryan Allsop safely gathered a volley from David Cotterill before Rovers defender James Husband was booked for clattering Fraser.

And from the resultant free-kick whipped in by Daniels, Pitman claimed the final touch at the far post to nod Cherries into a 30th-minute lead.

Cotterill’s poor challenge on Arter sparked angry exchanges between the two camps with rival bosses Eddie Howe and Paul Dickov having words on the touchline.

Referee Simon Hooper opted to show Cotterill a yellow card for his misdemeanour – the tackle lighting the blue touch-paper for a fractious conclusion to the first half. Rovers midfielder Paul Keegan struck a free-kick straight at the wall before Allsop followed Cotterill into the referee’s notebook for time-wasting.

Bongani Khumalo’s heroic block prevented Arter’s thunderous drive finding its way through to Turnbull before Cook charged down Chris Brown’s snapshot.

Pitman was booked for clattering Husband right in front of the Rovers dugout before Allsop’s stunning save kept out Coppinger’s strike in first-half stoppage time.

Richie Wellens seized on a loose ball and fired over the top 10 minutes into the second half before Theo Robinson did likewise after turning sharply on the edge of the box.

As Cherries went in search of a second, Ward’s drive cannoned off a defender before Turnbull’s top-drawer save kept out Grabban’s glancing header.

Turnbull also pouched Pitman’s curling free-kick before Coppinger’s ferocious strike fizzed past the upright after 73 minutes. And Grabban headed over from close range after substitute Mohamed Coulibaly had centred.

Cherries: Allsop, Francis, Cook, Ward, Daniels, Fraser (Coulibaly, 71), MacDonald, Arter, Pugh (Elphick, 90), Pitman, Grabban (Thomas, 89).

Unused subs: Harte, Surman, McDermott, Flahavan (g/k).

Booked: Allsop, Pitman.

Rovers: Turnbull, Wabara (Forrester, 77), Jones, Khumalo, Husband, Cotterill (Paynter, 63), Wellens, Keegan, Coppinger, Brown, Robinson (Duffy, 68).

Unused subs: Quinn, Furman, McCullough, Maxted (g/k).

Booked: Husband, Cotterill, Robinson.

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 6,769 (including 290 away supporters).