ALTHOUGH the cows maybe concrete, James Hayter was like the cat that got the cream on Saturday (August 21).

In true John Milton fashion, Hayter's display was pure poetry.

And as economical as Maynard Keynes, he scored twice and set up Cherries' third for Carl Fletcher with the minimum of fuss.

Playing football in the National Hockey Stadium, Cherries could have run up a cricket score had they been on the money. But as Sean O'Driscoll was honest enough to admit, his charges were not at the races.

He said: "We think we've been extremely unlucky in our first three games so it was nice that the tables were turned today.

"If you could guarantee winning and playing badly then we would practice it day in, day out but you can't. You have to plan to play well and sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it doesn't."

The writing was on the wall for the beleaguered Dons as early as the second minute when Wade Elliott galloped down the right flank on one of his trademarks runs.

But despite exposing a rather statuesque defence, Elliott's resultant cross would not sit properly for Hayter and the danger was cleared.

Cherries were their own worst enemies during the first half and the source of most Dons pressure were mistakes by the visitors.

A long-range effort from Ben Harding was comfortably pouched by Neil Moss before a break following a wasted Cherries corner saw Allan Smart send a diving header just wide from Izale McLeod's cross.

Cherries took the lead with a well-crafted team goal in the 21st minute, Hayter stealing in at the far post to convert Elliott's cross to register his third goal in as many games.

"It was a great ball in by Wade," enthused Hayter.

"I just managed to get my foot to it and although the keeper got a hand to it, he pushed it into the roof of the net."

Another swift breakaway ended with Elliott being denied by Harry Ntimban-Zeh's saving tackle before Steve Palmer felt the full force of a Hayter thunderbolt, inadvertently blocking with his face.

Smart fired wide after spinning Eddie Howe but it was only a temporary reprieve for the Dons with Carl Fletcher heading narrowly wide from Elliott's centre on the stroke of half-time.

At the start of the second half, an excellent move down the right ended with Paul Rachubka clasping Stock's effort from Hayter's cut-back before the Dons were thrown a lifeline.

Rachubka's wind-assisted clearance eventually found its way to the Dons' leggy striker McLeod who was upended while in full flow by Karl Broadhurst's scything tackle.

And after referee Brian Curson had pointed to the spot - with no complaints from the visitors - Smart stepped forward to ram the resultant penalty high into the roof of the net.

O'Driscoll said: "We've had some horrendous decisions given against us in the space of three games, but you can understand why he gave it. I was just glad he didn't send the boy off because that would have compounded it."

The leveller should have given the Dons the impetus to push on, but as boss Stuart Murdoch was at pains to point out: "I don't think we got the ball out of our own half for 15 minutes after the penalty so their second goal was always coming."

Cherries went close to regaining the lead when Hayter sent a curling right-foot effort thudding against the post after getting the better of Shola Oyedele on the edge of the box. "I thought it was in to be honest," lamented Hayter.

And Browning almost marked his 450th career appearance with a goal in the 59th minute, but his stinging drive was pushed wide by Rachubka.

Cherries restored their one-goal advantage when Hayter finished superbly by squeezing a right-foot shot into the bottom corner of the net after beating the offside trap to meet Browning's through ball.

"I couldn't believe how easily he walked through our midfield," said Murdoch after Browning had waltzed unchallenged from the halfway line.

O'Driscoll's side then had a double let-off when Howe headed against his own crossbar before McLeod blazed the follow-up over the top from close range.

"It was one of those important situations," said Murdoch. "Izale blasted the ball over the crossbar from six yards with nobody near him. If it had gone in, it would have been getting out of jail for us."

The Dons were sentenced to another defeat when Fletcher slotted home Cherries' third in the closing stages after Hayter had shrugged off Oyedele before supplying the cross which Alan Connell cleverly dummied.

And although Hayter was honest enough to admit he had caught Oyedele, Murdoch was unmoved: "Shola was as weak as water. He should be dealing with that, but he was blown over. That's just not good enough.

"It's not acceptable at this level; you can't do that at any level. You wouldn't get away with that in parks football."

It would be churlish and negative for an independent observer to criticise the Dons - so step forward manager Murdoch.

"Did you think you did enough to earn a point?" asked a reporter. "Not really. We got what we deserved," replied Murdoch as he munched on a biscuit during his post-match press conference, describing his shortbread as "the only enjoyable part of the afternoon".

And his remedy for the defeat?

"I might go home and kick the dog again, poor dog.

"Maybe a trip to the pub for a few pints might be a good idea, but I don't really feel like doing that either."