AFC Bournemouth vs Bolton Wanderers match report: Bournemouth turn on style to spark a Premier League party

Bournemouth all but sealed the most improbable yet inspiring of promotions to the Premier League thanks to goals by Marc Pugh, Matt Ritchie and Callum Wilson. They could even afford to miss a second-half penalty against a Bolton Wanderers team who finished the game with 10 players after the dismissal of Dorian Dervite.

Technically, Eddie Howe’s side need another point to be sure, but their huge advantage in goal difference over Middlesbrough means they will surely reach English football’s elite for the first time in their 116-year history, much of which was spent in the old Third Division. Perhaps not since Wimbledon in 1986 has a smaller club in terms of support base and ground capacity reached the top flight. But despite their lack of pedigree and the second-lowest average gates in the Championship, they will welcome Chelsea, Manchester United and the rest next season.

It was a triumph for Howe, 37. Recently voted Football League Manager of the Decade, he was 31 when he became the League’s youngest manager in January 2009. He overcame a 17-point deduction to guide the Cherries to League Two safety at the end of the season, an outcome that was guaranteed by a 2-1 home win over Grimsby Town six years and three days ago today. Relegation then would have meant bankruptcy, but Howe took them up the following season and, after two seasons at Burnley, returned to guide them to promotion, to the Championship two seasons ago.

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Now he faces a challenge of another order. The club owner, Russian petrochemicals trader Maxim Demin, has the financial muscle to invest in the squad, and although Howe believes in developing young talent, he may have to add top-level know-how. Only seven members of the present squad have Premier League experience, and only three of last night’s starting XI – former Norwich City and Wolves midfielder Andrew Surman, on-loan Southampton goalkeeper Artur Boruc and stand-in right-back Adam Smith, who made a solitary substitute appearance for Tottenham Hotspur.

But that is for the future. Last night as the fans danced on the pitch, the mood was only of celebration. The supporters never had any doubt that the evening would end in glory, which made for a sense of expectancy around the ground that the players could probably have done without.

An early goal would have helped settle their nerves, and it almost arrived in the second minute when Wilson outmuscled Tim Ream as the Bolton defender tried to make a clearance. Wilson took the ball inside and shot, but Adam Bogdan, the goalkeeper, blocked with his body. Bournemouth went close again after 12 minutes when Wilson found Ritchie charging in, but once again Bogdan was out quickly to get in the way of the shot.

Bolton, who had won on their past three visits to the Goldsands, included Liam Feeney, who had been part of Bournemouth’s successful effort to avoid relegation to the Conference in 2009.

Adam Le Fondre placed a free header straight at Boruc to warn Howe’s men that they could not relax against a team who had lost only one of their previous six matches.

But their main preoccupation was getting a goal of their own, and Bogdan frustrated them three times in as many minutes just before the half-hour. First Yann Kermorgant sent Wilson through, only for Bogdan’s outstretched hand to divert the ball away. Wilson chased after it and set up Ritchie, whose first-time shot from 20 yards was parried at full stretch by the Hungarian goalkeeper. Then Bogdan knocked away Kermorgant’s shot from a similar distance.

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After 39 minutes, as the jitters grew, Bournemouth broke through. Ritchie’s long cross eluded everyone but Pugh, who controlled it deftly, beat Feeney twice and slammed the ball in off the far post.

Five minutes later, it was 2-0. Wilson sent a cross-field pass to Kermorgant, and Ritchie smacked his instant pass low home. The crowd chanted the Match of the Day theme, certain that their team will feature on the BBC Premier League highlights programme next season.

After the break Kermorgant tried an audacious 45-yard lob that Bogdan tipped over with difficulty, yet the French striker missed from only 12 yards after 71 minutes, scooping a penalty over after Dervite had felled Wilson and been sent off. But any lingering doubts were dismissed when Wilson knocked home his 20th league goal of the season from 10 yards 12 minutes from time.

There was a good-natured pitch invasion at the end that included a supporter in a wheelchair. “We’re AFC Bournemouth, we’re Premier League,” they sang. Incredible, but true.