EDDIE Howe was probably reaching for a post-it note rather than a stiff drink following the dramatic conclusion to this extraordinary contest.

Leading 3-1 and in the comfort zone as the clock ticked towards injury-time, Howe could have been forgiven for taking a quick glance at the real-time League One table.

It showed Cherries in second place, just behind Sheffield Wednesday, and made for impressive viewing for followers of last season’s League Two runners-up.

As fourth official Adrian Tranter raised his board to indicate there would be four minutes of added time, few among an enthralled Dean Court crowd would have bet against Howe’s men failing to register a third successive league victory.

And not too many – even those that had stuck it out until the bitter end in the away section – could have begrudged Cherries all three points, such had been their dominance, especially during the first half.

Two well-taken goals from Josh McQuoid and an opportunist effort from Anton Robinson had seen Howe’s rampant charges storm into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 28 minutes.

And while some home supporters chose to goad ex-Cherries midfielder John Spicer about the scoreline, chants of “can we play you every week” or “you might as well go home” would have been more apt.

Counting chickens, however, is not one of Howe’s pastimes. Neither is he afflicted by memory loss, although learning from one’s mistakes is a quality the manager is very keen to instil into his players.

It may have been 19 months since Cherries shipped two goals late on and drew 3-3 at Lincoln, but for Howe, it probably seemed like yesterday. The nightmare end to his first away game as permanent manager came back to haunt him on Saturday.

Goals from Craig Westcarr and substitute Kevin Smith earned County a point that even their manager Craig Short magnanimously conceded they had been “lucky” to garner.

It had been a comeback more in keeping with Mike Tyson than Lazarus. And like Evander Holyfield, the heavyweight who had his ear bitten by Tyson, Cherries must have felt similar pain when Smith plunged a dagger through their heart.

Not one for drowning his sorrows or wallowing at his team’s misfortune, Howe will doubtless use the sobering experience to galvanise his squad, just like he did 19 months ago after the alarm bells had sounded following their Lincoln lament.

Whether he uses a flipchart, a memory stick or the back of a fag packet, the message to his players will be simple – when we’re winning 3-1 in injury-time, keeping the ball in the corners is more important than kicking it in the goal.

“Unfortunately, we were a little bit naïve at the end,” said Howe. “It was strange because we have had this before and learned from it really well. Sometimes, these things are a little reminder that you can’t take liberties.

“Before they scored their second goal, I felt we were comfortable and were just going to see out the game in a professional manner. But we made some strange decisions.

“We are a young side but we have to learn quickly.

“We should have run down the clock. We should have been more experienced and played balls into the corner and broken up the game. We allowed them a sniff and they took it.” County’s remarkable fightback was particularly hard on McQuoid who, having scored after three and 25 minutes, was forced to look on from the dugout after succumbing to a groin injury 14 minutes from time.

His brace of composed finishes, coupled with Robinson stroking home the loose ball after Marc Pugh had been denied by County goalkeeper Stuart Nelson in the 28th minute, put Cherries in command.

A goal conceded rather softly and against the run of play to the largely ineffective Ben Burgess in the 30th minute planted a seed of doubt that would grow into a forest of utter despair for Cherries.

However, had they taken one of the many chances that came their way in the second half – or chosen different options to create better opportunities – County would have been done for well before injury-time.

“It was heart-breaking and it felt like a defeat,” said McQuoid. “You can’t help it but when you go 3-0 up, there is a tendency to think you have the game won. We know we can’t do that because we have seen what can happen and it was tough to take.

“At half-time, the manager said the next goal would be massive and he was proved right. We needed to hang on and to put the ball in the corners.

“We need to do the nitty-gritty at the end of games and not start trying to be clever.

“We’ve got to learn from this and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”