MARC Pugh capped Eddie Howe’s return to the Cherries hot-seat by putting the finishing touches to a 2-0 win over Leyton Orient today.

Pugh bagged a second goal midway through the second half as the hosts registered their first home victory of the campaign.

His effort added to Lewis Grabban’s opener as Cherries netted twice in the space of two minutes to kill off the visitors.

Caretaker-boss Dennis Rofe made one change to the Cherries starting line-up with Eunan O’Kane drafted in for the injured Josh Carmichael.

New manager Howe and assistant Jason Tindall were unveiled ahead of kick-off, the pair receiving a rapturous welcome from Cherries supporters.

However, there was little for an expectant home crowd to cheer during an uneventful opening period when chances were at a premium.

Shaun MacDonald, the pick of the bunch for Cherries during the first half, saw an early chance flash past the post following a poor clearance.

Michael Symes, who joined Orient from Cherries in the summer, seized on the loose ball after O’Kane’s pass had been charged down, only to float his effort wide of the target.

O’Kane lifted a shot over the crossbar after a Charlie Daniels corner had been half cleared before Lee Barnard’s glancing header drifted wide.

The clearest chance of the first half fell to O’Kane after the midfielder had been picked out by MacDonald’s sumptuous through ball.

But, after outstripping his marker and going clear, O’Kane delayed too long before shooting and allowed Orient goalkeeper Ryan Allsop to make the first save of the game after 34 minutes.

Allsop kept out Barnard’s angled drive at the start of the second half before referee Stephen Martin waved away Cherries’ claims for a penalty after O’Kane had gone to ground under a Lee Cook challenge.

Cherries opened the scoring after 65 minutes, with the goal credited to Simon Francis by stadium Tannoy announcer Michael Botto.

However, Francis’s inswinging corner appeared to hit Grabban before squeezing in at the far post.

Cherries’ second, just two minutes later, came following a defensive mix up, with Pugh capitalising and rounding Allsop before rolling the ball into an unguarded net.

Cherries: James, Francis, Addison, Elphick, Daniels, O’Kane, Hughes (Davids, 44), MacDonald, Grabban, Barnard, Pugh.
Unused subs: Demouge, Partington, Tubbs, S Cook, McQuoid, Jalal (g/k).

Orient: Allsop, McSweeney, Chorley, Clarke, Sawyer, Cox, Griffith, Rowlands, L Cook (Odubajo, 68), Symes (Brunt, 68), Wagstaff (Mooney, 80).
Unused subs: Baudry, Smith, Laird, James.
Attendance: 5,751 (including 499 visiting supporters).
Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).