Saints were behind Cherries in the third division table when clubs last clashed at Dean Court!

But Nigel Adkins’ visitors jumped above Lee Bradbury’s Cherries thanks to a 3-1 victory in Dorset in March 2011.

Lauri Dalla Valle, on loan from Fulham, put Bournemouth ahead in with a thumping shot into the top corner. Rickie Lambert crossed for Lee Barnard, whose header squirmed under Cherries keeper Shwan Jalal to level the scores.

Skipper Dean Hammond put Saints ahead from close in and Lambert’s superb free-kick sealed the win before Saints sub Oscar Gobern was given a straight red.

The victory, in the first league meeting at Dean Court between the two teams for over 50 years, saw Saints jump into fourth place.

Saints were now just two points adrift of second placed Huddersfield, and still had two games in hand.

Dalla Valle was initially flagged offside only for the referee Andre Marriner to overrule the decision, leaving the young Finn to fire past Saints keeper Kelvin Davis.

The lead was short-lived as Saints equalised after Lambert robbed home defender Jason Pearce before crossing for Barnard, whose header found the net.

After a quiet opening to the second period, Hammond met Danny Butterfield’s free-kick at the back post.

Bournemouth threw on player-assistant manager Steve Fletcher in search of an equaliser and they almost grabbed one when Anton Robinson’s strike from distance was brilliantly tipped on to the crossbar by Davis.

Having survived that scare, Lambert made sure the points would be heading back to St Mary’s when his 25-yard free kick arced past Jalal.

Gobern was then given a red card in injury time for a bad foul on Adam Smith.

Saints went on to finish in the second automatic promotion spot, while Cherries were beaten on penalties by Huddersfield in the play off semi finals.