It was not expected that Bournemouth’s bid for an immediate return to the Premier League would be founded on defensive resolve.
After all, they shipped an average of two goals a game for the second half of their relegation season, lost £40million centre back Nathan Ake, and have retained their trademark attacking verve — only Blackburn have scored more goals in the Championship this season.
Yet here they were winning ugly on an inhospitable night in Stoke — still the yardstick of a team’s character — to move within two points of second place with a game in hand.