A BRILLIANT brace from Dominic Solanke lifted Cherries out of the relegation zone with a thoroughly deserved 2-0 win over Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe, returning to Vitality Stadium for just the second time since leaving in 2020, will have likely felt fortunate his Champions League outfit were still level at the break.

But Cherries pressed home their advantage in the second period, Solanke netting twice in the space of 13 minutes to get a win over the Magpies for the first time in over six years.

Andoni Iraola made wholesale changes from the 6-1 defeat at Manchester City.

Neto returned from injury to start in goal, while Lewis Cook was back from suspension. Marcos Senesi, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo were also all recalled.

Alex Scott and Philip Billing missed out through injury, Chris Mepham and Milos Kerkez dropped to the bench, while Andrei Radu was left out of the squad entirely.

Newcastle’s depleted squad was further stretched by the absence of former Cherries striker Callum Wilson due to injury. Howe handed a first Premier League start to 17-year-old Lewis Miley.

Cherries came flying out the traps. Inside the opening two minutes, goalkeeper Nick Pope had already been called into two saves.

His first was more comfortable, holding onto Ryan Christie’s effort, before getting down smartly to thwart Antoine Semenyo, after the Ghanaian’s driving run forwards.

At the other end, Neto was at full stretch to turn over Sean Longstaff’s rising strike.

Pope should have at least been worked again soon after, but Solanke delayed in pulling the trigger, allowing Jamaal Lascelles to get back and make a vital sliding block.

On 26 minutes, Lascelles got up well at the back post to meet a corner, his header deflecting off Lloyd Kelly. But Neto was alert to react well and make the stop.

Kluivert was next to try his luck, a shot from around 22 yards beaten away by a flying Pope.

Newcastle were dealt a blow with Miguel Almiron forced off injured on the half-hour mark, to be replaced by former Cherries winger Matt Ritchie.

Pope produced arguably his best save of the half soon after, Christie firing low through a crowd of players, but the England stopper was equal to the task.

Cherries were getting joy down the right flank and came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when Solanke found Semenyo, who guided a right-footed effort narrowly past the post.

An early slip in the second period from Kieran Trippier went unpunished. The experienced full-back attempted a pass back to Pope, but it was underhit, allowing Solanke to pounce. But Cherries’ striker could not bring the ball under control.

With the hour mark approaching, a dangerous Trippier free-kick from a wide position caused Cherries problems. Neto was well placed to ensure it did not go straight in, before also getting in the way when Solanke’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Joe Willock and went goalwards.

But minutes later, Cherries were ahead. As Semenyo looked for a way through, the ball cannoned off a defender and into Solanke’s path. He took a touch before powering an effort which beat Pope at his near post.

Anthony Gordon looked for a quick response, skipping past Illia Zabarnyi before his shot was held by Neto.

Both managers turned to their benches. Howe introduced teenage striker Ben Parkinson for his debut, while Iraola brought Adam Smith on for his 350th Cherries appearance, as well as Luis Sinisterra.

And the latter soon had an impact. His header from a Cook corner struck the post, with Solanke there to lift his leg and impressively backheel the ball into the net.

Again Newcastle looked for a quick reply, this time Sean Longstaff curling a shot over the bar.

Sinisterra went close with four efforts as he tried to put the game to bed, but Solanke’s strikes were more than enough.

Cherries: Neto; Aarons (Smith, 68), Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kelly; Cook, Christie; Semenyo (Ouattara, 80), Kluivert (Sinisterra, 68), Tavernier (Rothwell, 90+6); Solanke.

Unused subs: Mepham, Kerkez, Brooks, Traore, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Cook, Senesi.

Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Hall (Livramento, h-t); Miley (Parkinson, 66), Longstaff, Willock (Krafth, 90+5); Almiron (Ritchie, 31), Joelinton, Gordon.

Unused subs: Dummett, Murphy, Diallo, Gillespie (g/k), Dubravka (g/k).

Booked: Lascelles.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.

VAR: John Brooks.