STAR striker Brett Pitman paved the way for Cherries to bring down the curtain at Dean Court in style – and carve his own name in the club’s record books.

Pitman’s finely-taken second-half effort opened the floodgates as Eddie Howe’s men chalked up a resounding victory to lift them above Rochdale into second place.

His 28th goal of the season – and 56th career league effort – also saw the Jerseyman join Luther Blissett in 10th place in the club’s list of all-time top goalscorers.

Alan Connell then came off the bench to bag a quickfire double before Josh McQuoid headed home his maiden career goal to put the gloss on a convincing win.

Teenage goalkeeper Dan Thomas was handed his full league debut after first-choice Shwan Jalal had been ruled out due to injury.

And after Pitman had seen his free kick sail over the crossbar in the early stages, Thomas saved comfortably from a Marc Richards effort.

Cherries had an escape in the 10th minute when Lewis Haldane’s sweetly-struck 20-yarder came crashing back off the base of the upright.

However, chances were at a premium during a cagey and often fractious opening period, which saw four bookings, Cherries’ Marvin Bartley and three Vale players.

Pitman poked his shot against the post after Steve Fletcher had flicked a Rhoys Wiggins free kick invitingly into his path after 31 minutes.

Thomas excelled with a top-drawer save from Craig Davies, the young goalkeeper diving to his left to turn the striker’s snapshot past the post.

Cherries had a penalty appeal waved away at the start of the second half after Wiggins had gone to ground following a challenge by Vale defender Adam Yates.

But Pitman pounced to break the deadlock eight minutes after the restart with a goal that would have had Vale boss Micky Adams tearing out his hair.

Cherries’ leading marksman applied a clinical finish to a well-worked corner routine which saw Lee Bradbury fool the Vale defence by cleverly stepping over Wiggins’ delivery.

Liam Feeney went close to doubling Cherries’ lead when his blistering strike flashed past the post before Pitman headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Substitute Connell, who netted just seconds after coming off the bench at Burton, repeated the feat with 14 minutes remaining to all but seal the points.

The striker finished with a majestic clipped effort from the edge of the box after Feeney’s initial effort had been charged down.

And Connell quickly added his second and Cherries’ third when he bundled home from close range after Feeney’s cross had picked him out.

McQuoid, on as an 82nd-minute replacement for Bartley, put the finishing touches to another fine victory when he headed home a fourth four minutes from time.

Cherries (4-4-2): Thomas; Bradbury, Cooper, Pearce, Wiggins (Cummings, 87); Feeney, Hollands, Bartley (McQuoid, 82), Robinson; Fletcher (Connell, 74), Pitman.

Unused subs: Goulding, Partington, Igoe, Guyett.

Booked: Bartley.

Valiants (4-4-2): Martin; Yates, McCombe, Collins, K Taylor; Haldane (R Taylor, 61), Loft, Griffith (Fraser, h-t), Dodds (Rigg, 61); Richards, Davies.

Unused subs: Molyneux, Horsfield, Morsy, Anyon (g/k).

Booked: Griffith, K Taylor, Yates.

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 9,055.