ALMOST 30 years ago to the day since Cherries legend Ted MacDougall hit nine goals against Margate, Dean Court's latest hero Steve Fletcher wrote his own FA Cup fairytale.

Fletcher may have netted eight goals fewer than MacDougall and is unlikely to go down as one of the club's most prolific marksmen, but his second-half effort was one of the most memorable of his career.

Although it was a trademark header from close range and will not be among the contenders for goal of the season, his 77th-minute offering ended a near 10-year wait to score at Cherries' new ground for the hugely popular Teessider.

Revered among the Dean Court faithful, Fletcher admitted he was "heartbroken" to miss Cherries' big day against Wrexham when injury forced him to watch the opening of the Fitness First Stadium from the sidelines.

So, to find the target on his comeback seven days later, was the best possible tonic for Fletcher who is now in his 10th season with Cherries and was only named in Sean O'Driscoll's squad at the last minute.

Since the start of the season, the inspirational Cherries captain had been honing his skills as an expert radio summariser as he fought a painstaking battle against a nagging knee injury.

And despite regaining his fitness and coming through a midweek run-out for the reserves, Fletcher again looked set for a seat in the press box rather than a place among the Cherries substitutes.

But with Derek Holmes's father seriously injured in a car crash on Friday, Cherries boss O'Driscoll gave Fletcher the call at the 11th hour.

Fletcher said: "I didn't think I would be involved because Sean had said it was too early for me so I even had a Chinese takeaway for dinner on Friday.

"Then, he phoned me on Saturday morning and asked me how I felt about going on the bench because unfortunately Derek Holmes's dad had been in an accident. I was delighted to get the call-up.

"I know the Wrexham game wasn't about me, but I was heartbroken not to be involved. I have been here so long I was desperate to lead the boys out at the new stadium.

"I had to take it on the chin, but it hurt. I really wanted to turn back the clock, but I know these things happen. Luckily my moment came a week later and it was brilliant.

"The supporters helped me through last week and they were absolutely fantastic with me again on Saturday.

"The cheer I got when my name was announced and the standing ovation I received when I went to warm-up on the touchline made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"I know what they have been through for the past few years because I have been through it with them. People have been talking about us getting a new stadium ever since I arrived here so to finally see it built is great."

Fletcher's goal put the finishing touches to a comprehensive Cherries victory which ensured O'Dris-coll's young side did not receive unwanted vast column inches in yesterday's national newspapers.

Armed with instructions from his sports editor to "phone the desk if there's a shock", one reporter from a leading Sunday tabloid was spared making the call and filed little more than 100 words.

But the hack must have been tempted to reach for his mobile when Dene Cropper, a headline writer's dream, outstripped the Cherries defence and looked destined to put Worksop ahead after just eight minutes.

However, after Gareth Stewart had spread himself superbly to deny the young striker, there was not even a hint of a shock as Cherries took over and killed the minnows off with two goals in the first 26 minutes.

The first came after 14 minutes when Richard Hughes collected Wade Elliott's pass before unleashing a fierce left-foot drive from 25 yards which fizzed past Worksop goalkeeper Jamie Holmshaw into the bottom corner of the net.

Hughes, Elliott and the lively Warren Feeney were all involved in the build up to Cherries' second, a crisp shot buried under Holmshaw by James Hayter from around 12 yards in the 26th minute.

Hayter, who plundered his first four goals of the season in successive home games at the Avenue Stadium, has now scored twice in as many matches at the revamped Dean Court to take his tally to six.

Sitting on a two-goal cushion, Cherries could afford to be profligate, although home fans must have spared a thought for Steve Purches who failed to break his goal duck despite going close on no fewer than four separate occasions.

Denied in the opening stages when Holmshaw pushed his shot round the post, Purches's team-mates Feeney and Elliott were also thwarted by the visiting goalkeeper, the pick of whose saves was a fingertip effort from a Brian Stock free-kick.

Eddie Howe tried to get in on the act when he powered a header over the crossbar from Hayter's corner at the start of the second half, while again Holmshaw's heroics kept out another Stock piledriver.

As Hayter prepared to take the resultant corner, all hell broke loose in the Worksop six-yard box with fists and elbows flying around all over the place as players jostled for position.

Once peace had broken out, referee Peter Armstrong consulted both his assistants before booking Worksop defender Gary Bennett and issuing a second yellow card of the match to Feeney.

As the Cherries striker trudged off dejectedly, home fans behind the Worksop goal, convinced of Feeney's innocence, chanted "you don't know what you're doing" to the official.

He certainly didn't know what he was doing when Elliott was unceremoniously upended from behind by Ryan Davis who escaped punishment for a worse tackle than the one on Steve Fletcher which saw Gavin Smith booked for a second time in the 73rd minute.

Nor was Armstrong particularly well placed to see Chris Waddle kick out at Hayter after Steve Fletcher had converted Stock's cross to make it 3-0 in the 77th minute.

As the tie degenerated towards its conclusion, Holmshaw turn Garreth O'Connor's stinging effort round the post before Stewart punched away a long-range effort from Waddle.