CHERRIES made hard work of a 3-1 win over Birmingham City as they returned to second-place in the Championship and put the weekend’s woes behind them.

Ryan Christie and Dominic Solanke struck early to put distance between the two sides with their second and 20th goals of the season respectively.

Jefferson Lerma received his second straight red card of the campaign in the second-half but Cherries went on to make it nine wins in succession versus Blues, despite Onel Hernandez’s deflected effort evading Mark Travers.

Jaidon Anthony’s perseverance inside the area after skipping three Birmingham tackles allowed him the chance to seal proceedings with 15 minutes to play.

Scott Parker named nine changes with only Nat Phillips and Anthony retaining their spots from the dismal FA Cup defeat to National League Boreham Wood on Sunday.

That meant Championship Cherries debuts for loanees Phillips and Todd Cantwell, while Siriki Dembele, Kieffer Moore and Freddie Woodman started from the bench.

Meanwhile, former Cherry Lyle Taylor’s role was clear as he led the line for a Birmingham side that had not won in three or kept a clean sheet since victory over Blackpool in November.

A good atmosphere inside Vitality Stadium was rewarded with a fast start, as both Solanke and Taylor came close to opening the scoring for their sides in the first 10.

Neil Etheridge landed himself in hot water dealing with a dodgy back-pass after gut-busting pressing from Lerma, but the Philippines international just hacked clear.

That was only a brief reprieve before Teden Mengi lost his footing and allowed Solanke through. Christie struck the bar with the shot, which looked to be bouncing behind for a goal kick.

Jaidon Anthony kept the ball in for Jordan Zemura and Philip Billing to combine and lay off Christie from close-range inside 17 minutes.

Cherries’ second was much more simple, requiring only a deft Christie slip to Solanke down the right-hand side where the forward struck low and across Etheridge for his 19th in league competition this campaign.

Failing to stop Solanke through footballing methods, near-last man Kristian Pedersen went into the book after pulling the striker down while he raced on goal.

Billing then saw a superb header clatter off the post, as Cherries put the struggling visitors to the sword in an electric first-half display.

Brum opted for a change soon after the break, with Lukas Jutkiewicz replacing Scott Hogan up front – but Cherries were forced into their first.

Christie went down injured on the hour and Parker called for Lewis Cook, while also giving Dembele his league debut in place of an impressive Cantwell.

But Parker’s charges were reduced to just ten with over 20 minutes to play, after a wild hack from Lerma on Hernandez – which then sparked a skirmish, spearheaded by the Colombian – saw red from referee James Linington.

Shortly after, Hernandez’s shot from outside the area following a corner deflected off Phillips and in to give the visitors a chance.

Anthony then dashed that as quickly as it had come, carrying the ball the distance of a half to put beyond Etheridge despite three Brum defenders in his way.

Enough time remained for a Moore debut from the bench, as Parker's side reached the conclusion without further scathing thanks to a stunning Travers footed-stop denying Taylor. 

Cherries: Travers; Stacey, Phillips, Kelly, Zemura; Lerma, Billing (Moore, 85), Cantwell (Dembele, 60); Christie (Cook, 60), Anthony, Solanke

Unused subs: Mepham, Cahill, Pearson, Moore, Woodman (g/k)

Sent off: Lerma

Birmingham: Etheridge; Colin, Mengi (Hernandez, 63), Pedersen, Bela, Sunjic, Gardner, Bacuna, Graham (Woods, 88), Hogan (Jutkiewicz, 53), Taylor

Unused subs: Campbell, Walker, James, Trueman (g/k)

Booked: Gardner, Pedersen, Graham, Hernandez, Sunjic

Referee: James Linington