RYAN Fraser starred as Cherries ended their nine-match winless run with an exhilarating 2-1 triumph over Everton.

The diminutive winger tucked away a superb first-half opener at Vitality Stadium before Idrissa Gana Gueye levelled just before the hour.

However, two minutes from time, Fraser was credited with a goal which nicked off Michael Keane on its way past Jordan Pickford.

Victory enabled Cherries to climb to 13th in the Premier League table and end Everton’s unbeaten run under recently-appointed boss Sam Allardyce.

Eddie Howe kept the same starting XI which had shared a 3-3 draw with West Ham on Boxing Day.

The only changes to the squad saw left-back Charlie Daniels and midfielder Harry Arter named on the bench having shaken off groin and calf problems, respectively.

Emerson Hyndman and Connor Mahoney dropped out altogether while Andrew Surman and Junior Stanislas remained sidelined.

Allardyce made four changes to his Everton team with James McCarthy selected for his first top-flight appearance in nearly 10 months.

Also recalled were Gana Gueye, Aaron Lennon and Phil Jagielka, while former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney was named on the bench following illness.

Inside three minutes, Cherries won a free-kick on the left corner of the area, Fraser having drawn a foul from Morgan Schneiderlin. Fraser’s delivery was too deep for Steve Cook, however, the defender’s header going behind after he strained to meet it.

Adam Smith scampered back into his own box to make a fine recovery tackle, while Fraser failed to pick out Callum Wilson after Cherries had broken at speed on two occasions.

Wilson fashioned the hosts’ first notable chance in the 18th minute. From Smith’s throw in, the frontman expertly spun away from Jagielka and Keane but his half-volley was straight at goalkeeper Pickford, who blocked with ease.

Just before the half hour, Jordon Ibe was heading down a blind alley but suddenly changed tack and quickly fired towards the near post, with Pickford smartly down to keep out the effort.

Cherries skipper Simon Francis was clattered by Keane following Fraser’s resultant corner but referee Lee Probert awarded a goal-kick.

Everton had not created much in the opening stages and the towering Dominic Calvert-Lewin failed to adequately connect with a header from Cuco Martina’s cross.

Moments later, in the 33rd minute, Cherries took the lead they deserved. Wilson seized possession following McCarthy’s error and showed good awareness to release Joshua King down the right. From there, the Norwegian international picked out a peach of a cross for Fraser, who side-footed coolly past Pickford at full tilt.

It was the first goal Everton had conceded in four hours and 38 minutes of Premier League football.

The Toffees were gifted the chance for a positive response when Smith’s ill-advised back-pass let in Calvert-Lewin, who teed up Lennon and the former Spurs winger’s shot was blocked.

Schneiderlin hooked over and Howe’s injury concerns increased when King was forced off, with Benik Afobe coming on in his place.

Allardyce elected to shuffle his pack ahead for the start of the second half, Rooney entering the fray in place of McCarthy.

Rooney was immediately thrust into the action when his poked shot was repelled by Asmir Begovic but assistant referee Simon Beck’s flag had already been raised.

Wilson had a half-chance to double the lead when Francis’s low cross was somehow allowed to drift across the edge of the area. However, the ex-Coventry City striker seemed to slip as he pulled the trigger and the ball rolled wide.

There was further injury concern for the Cherries faithful when Smith was caught on the ankle by Jonjoe Kenny but the Cherries full-back soldiered on.

Nathan Ake survived optimistic handball appeals in the box before Rooney sounded a warning when he screwed just past the post from 20 yards.

Three minutes short of the hour, the Toffees were level. Steve Cook played the ball straight to the feet of Gylfi Sigurdsson on the left flank and he found substitute Oumar Niasse, who helped on for Gana Gueye to gleefully apply the finishing touch.

A vintage foray down the right from Francis almost yielded the perfect response but after he swept in a low centre, Wilson’s right-footed effort met only the right hand of Pickford.

On as a substitute, Yannick Bolasie almost made an instant impact. Steve Cook’s header fell to his feet but his first-time strike ballooned into the stand.

With Cherries getting more space in attacking areas, Fraser found Wilson but his shot took a nick and was pouched by Pickford.

Undeterred, Wilson tried his luck from 20-plus yards, the driven strike swerving past the left upright.

As the game entered its final 10 minutes, Ibe twice went close. First, his thunderbolt was beaten away by Pickford, then a left-footed Exocet clipped the angle of post and bar and fizzed behind.

Cherries were then thankful to Ake for a crucial intervention. Niasse squared the ball to Sigurdsson who was bearing down on goal but his poor touch allowed Ake to slide in at the critical moment.

Ibe slammed off-target before Cook’s header dropped wide, with Cherries finally restoring their lead two minutes from time.

Smith dived infield and released Fraser on the left with an angled pass. The Scotland international checked on to his right foot and his effort nicked off Keane, the ball diverting into the right corner.

Afobe might have added a third in the dying embers but it mattered not.

MATCH FACTS

Cherries (4-4-1-1): Begovic; Francis, S Cook, Ake, A Smith; Ibe, Gosling, L Cook (Arter, 78), Fraser; King (Afobe, 39); Wilson (Mousset, 85).

Unused subs: Simpson, Daniels, Pugh, Boruc (g/k).

Booked: None.

Everton (4-3-3): Pickford; Kenny, Keane, Jagielka, Martina; McCarthy (Rooney, h-t), Schneiderlin, Gana Gueye (Bolasie, 71); Lennon, Calvert-Lewin (Niasse, 54), Sigurdsson.

Unused subs: Williams, Davies, Holgate, Robles (g/k).

Booked: None.

Referee: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).

Attendance: 10,497.