Bournemouth beat Swansea City 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium to move nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.
A second victory in the space of a week on home soil was secured thanks to the work of Benik Afobe, who scored one and played a big part in another.
Afobe's first went down as an Alfie Mawson own goal, having taken a nick off the defender on its way through, but there is no doubt that the second was his - a well-taken finish into the bottom corner.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Bournemouth and Swansea City at the Vitality Stadium. This match pits together two teams trying to climb clear of danger, with the Cherries currently best placed to do so as they sit three points ahead of their opponents and will breath a little easier if they can make it back-to-back wins today.
The hosts head into this match on the back of a priceless win over West Ham United last weekend, putting an end to their eight-game winless run thanks to a dramatic victory over the Hammers. Swansea's recent good luck come to a halt on Humberside, meanwhile, as two second-half goals saw Hull City claim all three points to ensure that things remain incredibly tight in the bottom third of the division.
TEAM NEWS!
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Surman, Gosling, Fraser, King, Pugh, Afobe
SWANSEA CITY XI: Fabianski, Fernandez, Kingsley, Mawson, Ki, Fer, Cork, Carroll, Ayew, Sigurdsson, Llorente
Starting with a look at the home team, manager Eddie Howe has made just the one alteration to the side that beat West Ham 3-2 here seven days ago. Harry Arter underwent a late fitness test, which he clearly did not pass as he misses out on the squad entirely today, so in comes Andrew Surman. A little surprising that Jack Wilshere was not selected in Arter's place, with the Arsenal loanee missing out for a third game running.
Surman returns just in time from his one-game ban, but Tyrone Mings is still absent with this the second of a five-match suspension for his supposed stamp on the head of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Junior Stanislas is the other notable absentee this evening due to a groin problem, as Howe lines up in a likely 4-2-3-1 formation - Benik Afobe leading the attack, with in-form Joshua King positioned just off him.
King has scored nine goals in his last 10 Premier League outings, including a treble against West Ham here last weekend, compared to just eight in his previous 40 games at this level. The Norway international also has three in three against today's opponents, so he will no doubt be one to watch this evening in a battle between two sides aiming to avoid the drop. Ryan Fraser and Marc Pugh are positioned either side in that four-man attack.
In terms of the visitors, Paul Clement has made three changes to the side that lost 2-1 to lowly Hull City last time out. The big news is that Jordan Ayew is finally handed a starting role after previously impressing from the bench since joining in January, with Wayne Routledge - guilty of missing two key chances at the KCOM Stadium - the man to make way out wide. Stephen Kingsley and Ki Sung-Yeung also come into the side.
Kingsley replaces Martin Olsson in the backline following the injury sustained at Hull - the Scotsman's first start since late January - while Ki is also included from the off for the first time since the opening month of the year. Two other full-backs in Kyle Naughton and Angel Rangel are also absent this evening due to injury issues, so young full-back Connor Roberts is named in the squad for the first time.
City are also still without Jefferson Montero and Nathan Dyer out wide, with Clement opting for Leroy Fer and Ki in those wide berths, just behind Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jordan Ayew in a three-man forward line. Sigurdsson has 11 assists in the Premier League this season - more than any other player prior to today's games - and also leads the way for distance covered (318.2km). Top-scorer Fernando Llorente has shaken off his injury problem and starts through the middle, looking to build on a run of three goals in two games prior to last week's injury.
BENCH WATCH!
BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Allsop, Cargill, Smith, Wilshere, Ibe, Gradel, Cook
SWANSEA CITY SUBS: Nordtfeldt, Amat, Britton, Routledge, Roberts, Borja, Narsingh
Still no room for Wilshere in the Cherries' starting lineup, then, despite the absence of Arter this evening. Howe has done well to manage the Englishman's injury issues, but keeping him out for a few games in succession suggests that he has not done enough to impress during his loan from Arsenal. Swansea are thin on the ground at the back, meanwhile, so there is a first squad appearance for Roberts, while Borja Baston and Luciano Narsingh are options in attack.
With Harry Arter failing a late fitness test it looked likely that Jack Wilshere would come into the side to partner Dan Gosling, but that honour instead goes to Andrew Surman who returns from a one-match ban to slot into defensive midfield - the only change from last time out. Three alterations for Swansea, on the other hand, as Stephen Kingsley, Ki Sung-Yeung and Jordan Ayew all come in from the off.
The full-time whistle is beginning to sound around grounds up and down the country, giving us a chance to check out the state of play at the bottom of the Premier League table as things stand. Crystal Palace have made it three wins in succession by edging past Watford at Selhurst Park, while Leicester City are also seconds away from beating West Ham United in East London. Disappointment for Hull, though, who crashed 4-0 to Everton, while Sunderland failed to break down Burnley in a goalless draw.
Sunderland are beginning to find themselves cut adrift at the foot of the division, now seven points from safety after playing the same amount of games as 17th-placed Swansea, who find themselves three points above the dreaded dotted line. Bournemouth are six points clear, meanwhile, so victory today and they can very much start preparing for a third-successive campaign of top-flight football. Still very tight at the bottom, but the picture is becoming clearer by the week.
Fair to say that Bournemouth are still not completely safe of danger just yet, having recently gone eight games without picking up maximum points to slowly drift into relegation contention. That run did come to an end against West Ham last weekend, though, and they can climb into 11th place with a two-goal win this afternoon - it is that tight. Defeat, on the other hand, and all of a sudden the pressure is well and truly beginning to build on the South Coast side.
Since beating Swansea 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium on New Year's Eve, the Cherries picked up just three points from the next 24 on offer prior to last weekend's meeting with the Hammers. Four points from their last two, however, including an impressive backs-against-the-walls display at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, has seen the mood begin to lift once again around these parts. This is now a pivotal game for them, either seeing the club look over their shoulder or up towards a potential top-half finish.
Even with victory this afternoon, Bournemouth take on three of the division's top-four sides in quick succession next month - a run that includes trips to Anfield and White Hart Lane - so they will certainly not be home and dry. The Cherries have failed to win back-to-back games in the Premier League since March 2016, when going three in a row with a convincing 3-0 victory over Swansea en route, but they can put that right in this Saturday evening kickoff.
Howe's men have dropped 18 points from winning positions this season, which is more than any other team in the top flight, though they did show real character to battle to the win against West Ham and also had to dig deep against Man United the week prior. It all points to the tide beginning to turn in the right direction for Bournemouth, who at one point were dropping like a stone and seemingly could not buy a win for a couple of months.
DID YOU KNOW? Bournemouth could become the first side to concede two or more goals in seven consecutive Premier League matches since Wolverhampton Wanderers set a record of 11 in a row from December 2011 to April 2012. Only Swansea City have conceded more goals in the top flight this term, incidentally, shipping a whopping 61 at an alarming rate of over two a game.
Eddie Howe has managed to get Bournemouth back on track over the past fortnight, earning a draw at Old Trafford and battling to three points over Manchester United. Even taking that victory over the Hammers into account, though, it is still just the one victory in nine Premier League outings, while also exiting the FA Cup early on to third-tier side Millwall.
Following the conclusion of the day's 3pm kickoffs, Swansea are 17th in the table and three points above the relegation zone. The defeat to Hull last weekend felt pivotal, as they knew that victory would have lifted them eight clear with two months of the campaign to go. Still, Clement has more than improved the Welsh outfit in his short spell in charge and they are well on track to pulling off what would be an amazing escape act.
As many as nine sides are in the relegation mire, according to Clement, when including Watford and Burnley in the mix. Five teams are in immediate threat of going down as things stand, with six points separating Bournemouth in 14th and Hull in 18th, even after the Tigers' recent turnaround in results under Marco Silva prior to today's Goodison Park thrashing. Even Southampton as high as 10th cannot afford to switch off at the moment, though it would take something incredible to drag them into the mix.
Clement has more than doubled the Swans' points tally since taking over at the turn of the year after guiding his side to five wins from nine in the Premier League, losing the other four. That run includes wins over Burnley, Leicester, Southampton, Palace and, most impressive of the lot, Liverpool at Anfield, yet the loss to Hull last time out has stopped them right in their tracks. There was little between the sides at the KCOM Stadium seven days ago, with Oumar Niasse proving the difference from the bench.
Swansea now have some massive games ahead of them, including this trip to the South Coast, which is followed by the visit of a down-and-out Middlesbrough side that will likely have a new manager in charge by the time the fixture comes around. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are the only remaining heavyweight sides left for City to face, in fact, so they have a real chance of building some momentum after the two-week break.
The Swans' recent results have a nice symmetrical feel to them, having alternated between victory and defeat in their last six Prem outings - a win today being required to keep that run going. Clement's men have drawn just three games all season, meanwhile, which is a joint-low figure alongside Chelsea, who looked to be heading for a fourth stalemate earlier today only to nick the points late on against Stoke City in Staffordshire.
City have kept just the one clean sheet in their last 13 top-flight outings but, while they may have the worst defensive record in the division with 61 conceded, Bournemouth's 23 goals shipped in 2017 is unrivalled. Two porous defences facing off this afternoon on the South Coast, then, spearheaded by attacking players (King and Llorente) enjoying some positive form in front of goal. Get every last penny you own on a goalless borefest!
With kickoff now less than 10 minutes away at the Vitality Stadium, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Eddie Howe: "With so few games to go each game takes on more importance. On the back of last week's win we want to keep pushing forwards and continuing our form. We're confident and we believe in ourselves, the players showed last week their ability to score goals, which is crucial at any stage of the season."
Paul Clement: "It's more than likely that we will not be safe before the end of the season. We have done very well against teams through January and into February. Clearly we're very disappointed after Hull; not necessarily that we lost the game but that we allowed a team below us to get closer to us."
Howe eager to build some momentum, then, as his side goes in search of successive wins for the first time in a year. Would a draw suit Bournemouth more than their opponents today? Possibly. That is not to say the Cherries will not go all out for the win, though, knowing that a second win in the space of seven days will take them nine points clear of the drop zone and into the lofty heights of 11th place.
Clement acknowledges that his side will not likely be able to breath properly until the final ball of the season is kicked, pointing out that the defeat to Hull last weekend was a major blow to their survival hopes. Swansea are still on the up, having clawed their way off the bottom of the table and three points clear of the drop zone, but another loss today and all of a sudden they are relying on other results to go their way.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Swansea City, winning three of those - including the reverse fixture, which finished 3-0 in their favour on New Year's Eve to leave them on course for a first league double over the Swans since the 2000-01 season. The last seven matches between the two sides has produced a total of 30 goals - an average of over four per game - with the Cherries hitting exactly three in three of their last four.
KICKOFF! We are up and running at the Vitality Stadium in this huge showdown at the bottom end of the division. Swansea, in their white home strip today, strike a psychological blow by electing to swap ends after winning the coin toss.
Swansea sloppily give away possession when pressed high up the pitch, but King's shot ends well over the bar. It is the hosts who have started the brighter, spurred on by a boisterous crowd inside the ground this evening.
Bournemouth playing some nice football, working the ball down the right and earning a corner when a cross into the danger zone was deflected aside. It is worked short but Fraser's delivery is lacking and the ball is easily cleared.
Seven minutes in and the game is beginning to settle down a little. A good start to the match by the visitors, who have just that wayward King strike to show for it. City still yet to get going, but they have won a free kick in a good crossing position.
CLOSE! Sights of goals at both ends in the space of a minute. Centre-back Mawson, now a prolific goalscorer at this level, glances Sigurdsson's free kick narrowly wide. Moments later, Fraser dragged a shot wide of Fabianski's goal.
In a game at the bottom the first goal does usually prove pivotal, but these sides hip goals for fun so surely more than one will be required today? Nice and balanced over the past five minutes or so, with those near misses at either end.
Sigurdsson and Llorente link up for the first time today, the former heading the ball into the path of his teammate to blast over the target. Real good knockdown from the Spaniard, who has done well to shake off the injury picked up last week.
CLOSE! Fraser's cross form the right is on the money, but Afobe can only divert it narrowly wide with his head after holding off his man. Two strikers to aim for, so expect plenty more balls like that across the duration of the evening.
Fer is filling it at full-back this evening, incidentally, and not on the wing, with Swansea playing a 4-1-4-1 formation. Bournemouth more like a 4-4-2, with King and Afobe staying high up the pitch to link up with each other.
Not a great deal happening at the moment, in truth, with both teams taking it in turn to enjoy possession. Swansea looking to make inroads down the left through Kingsley, who is caught by Smith to win his side a free kick.
CLOSE! King, the hat-trick hero last weekend, flicks on Sigurdsson's superb free kick delivery. The ball drops inches wide of the target, just about sparing his blushes. Sigurdsson causing all sorts of problems with his crosses.
Bournemouth do not look likely to hold out for the full 90 minutes at this rate, struggling every time the ball is sent into their box. The Swans want a penalty as Carroll's shot hit Pugh on the arm inside the box.
A game of crosses at the moment - some top-quality deliveries. Fraser's ball is into that dangerous area between defence and keeper, but the Swans backline did manage to drop back to get to it first ahead of Afobe.
All very quiet again at the moment, both on the pitch and off, as the teams look to get bodies forward but get nowhere fast. A case of probing away for Bournemouth at the moment, who are largely relying on balls from deep.
Swansea have got to be careful because they are dropping a little too deep at the moment, failing to find the right balance. Might be a case of defending in the first half and then going in search of a goal in the second.
GOAL! BOURNEMOUTH 1-0 SWANSEA CITY (BENIK AFOBE)
This may well go down as an own goal, as a dragged effort from Afobe - after Fernandez well caught out by a quick one-two - hits Mawson and trickles past Fabianski. Replays inconclusive, but that did appear to be going wide prior to the deflection.
A lack of communication between Cook and Boruc almost ends badly, but the keeper was quick to get on the loose ball at the second time of asking. First blood Bournemouth, then, and a nine-point gap on the bottom three as things stand.
SAVE! I did say moments before the Cherries' breakthrough goal that the visitors were dropping a little too deep, but they are now pushing forward in search of a leveller. Sigurdsson with a fine strike from range, which Boruc helps wide.
Jack Cork's eyes light up when a corner is only half-cleared into his path on the edge of the box, but his volley almost made it out of the ground. Half time now seven minutes away, and it is Swansea enjoying more of the possession.
YELLOW CARD! Fraser is too quick for Ki Sung-Yeung, drawing a cynical foul out of the South Korean for the game's first booking. Smith takes on the free kick from 25 yards out, which is right down the middle for Fabianski to collect.
The first half petering out at the moment, which will suit Howe just fine. Not a great deal between the sides so far, but it is the Cherries who lead as we approach the midway point thanks to a deflected Afobe strike.
Fraser looked to muscle Mawson off the ball, seeing Afobe as good as through on goal, but referee Mike Dean felt he went in a bit too heavy-handed and a free kick was instead awarded. A minute expected to be added on at the end of the first half.
HALF TIME: BOURNEMOUTH 1-0 SWANSEA CITY
The half-time whistle sounds, with Bournemouth sitting on a 1-0 lead over Swansea City at the break. A couple of chances at either end in the opening 45 minutes, but it is Benik Afobe's deflected strike just after the half-hour mark that is proving to be the difference between the relegation strugglers at the moment.
There was a chance at either end in the space of a minute early on, as Alfie Mawson glanced Gylfi Sigurdsson's cross narrowly wide and Ryan Fraser dragged wide from the Cherries' first opening. Fraser turned provider soon after, sending in a fine delivery for Benik Afobe to nod wide after holding off his man just a few yards out.
Bournemouth got the luck they required, however, as soon after Joshua King's flick-on evaded his own goal by a matter of inches, Afobe saw his deflected shot from the edge of the box take a nick off Mawson and creep over the line. Sigurdsson, with a league-high 11 assists to his name this term, led the Swansea charge for a response by sending a dipping shot towards the far corner.
Artur Boruc was equal to it on that occasion, helping the ball past the post with his fingertips, while Adam Smith's free kick right down the middle was the closest the Cherries came to doubling their tally in the first half. Plenty for both managers to ponder at the break, then, but will either make a change with 45 minutes still to go? Clement will just be happy that he has a full selection to choose from, having lost two players to injury by this point at Hull last week!
BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Allsop, Cargill, Smith, Wilshere, Ibe, Gradel, Cook
SWANSEA CITY SUBS: Nordtfeldt, Amat, Britton, Routledge, Roberts, Borja, Narsingh
RESTART! We are back under way at the Vitality Stadium, where the two sides remain unchanged from the first half. Clement no doubt demanding a response from his side, who were well below par in the opening 45 minutes.
Swansea have only actually won once before when trailing at half time in a Premier League game, that coming against Wigan in May 2013. A good Sigurdsson cross somehow goes right through the box without a touch from a player in white.
Just the six clean sheets for Bournemouth in the Premier League this season, so you would not bet all your money on them holding out for a 1-0 win. Still no real threat of conceding just yet, though, with Swansea still lacking ideas.
SAVE! Cork gives away possession in midfield, allowing Gosling to move the ball forward and fire towards the bottom corner. Fabianski was always favourite to keep it out, and he did just that by getting down to his right.
Clement about to take action by bringing on Narsingh, with his side looking very disjointed at the moment. Their best route to goal all evening has been via crosses, so some added firepower on the flank makes sense.
SWANSEA CITY SUB! A real bright opening for Bournemouth comes to nothing. The ball is shifted to Smith, who wants one touch too many inside the area and in the end fails to take on his man. Narsingh now on for full debutant Ayew.
SHOT! Yet again Swansea are caught napping, with Fraser looking to capitalise by taking on the shot from 25 yards out. Fabianski got down to it routinely enough to stop it from creeping into the bottom corner.
We have now played an hour at the Vitality Stadium and it is Bournemouth who are doing more to find the second goal of the evening. Swansea have offered next to nothing, really, particularly since the start of the second half.
That goal has now been credited to Mawson, with replays suggesting that the shot from Afobe was trickling fractionally wide. Clement preparing his second change of the evening - not a moment too soon, as the Swans are poor at the moment.
It would be cruel on Bournemouth if Swansea were to nick a goal, but they have the chance to do so now as a free kick has been awarded 20 yards from goal. Sigurdsson is arguably the most dangerous player in the league in this position.
I gave Sigurdsson too much of a billing, as he struck the ball into the wall. The next phase of play sees Ki try his luck from similar range, with the ball going behind for a corner. Swansea's best spell of the half by some distance.
The corner is punched clear by Boruc, giving the Cherries a chance to regroup. Howe may be thinking of making a change around about now, as momentum is beginning to swing in the visitors' favour all of a sudden.
SWANSEA CITY SUB! Routledge is on for Ki, making Premier League appearance 181 for Swansea City - equalling Ashley Williams's record. The winger makes a good early impression, winning another corner for his side.
Hearts in mouths moment for Bournemouth, as the ball runs loose inside the box. Narsingh so very nearly got on the end of it, but Cook - laying on the ground - hooked a leg at the ball first and cleared the ball. The Cherries too lax at the moment.
GOAL! BOURNEMOUTH 2-0 SWANSEA CITY (BENIK AFOBE)
No doubt about the scorer of this one - Afobe is slipped through by King and is able to pick his spot, sending the ball past Fabianski via the post. A costly slip from Mawson in the build-up to that goal, which surely earns three points for the hosts.
SAVE! Fer sends a cross in from the right, which the smallest player on the field gets on the end of. Routledge's header was easily handled by Boruc, though, and the Swans' wait for a goal at the Vitality Stadium goes on.
BOURNEMOUTH SUB! Howe was preparing to bring on Wilshere before his side's second goal, but he has not had second thoughts and throws him into the mix with a little over 10 minutes to play. Fraser the man to make way.
YELLOW CARD! Second caution of the evening is shown to Jack Cork, who went in on Afobe and was rightly penalised for it. The Bournemouth forward hobbling around a little after receiving some treatment.
SAVE! Superb stop from Fabianski to prevent his side going three behind. King leapt highest to meet a cross from Wilshere, but the Polish keeper reacted quickly and scooped it wide. Bournemouth looking good value to add to their lead.
SWANSEA CITY SUB! Baston, who has made little impression since joining the club for big money last summer, comes on for Llorente. Seen little of the Spaniard this evening in what has been a poor Swansea display.
City remaining patient in search of a goal. Bournemouth have shipped more than any other team this calendar year, so one goal in the next couple of minutes for the visiting side and all of a sudden it is game on once again.
A fine piece of defending from Daniels leads to Bournemouth earning a goal kick. Three minutes of added time will likely be added on at the end, so it is not quite job done for the Cherries just yet, which Howe is quick to remind his players!
A massive win for Bournemouth just a few minutes away now, with the gap on the bottom three standing at nine points. No such luck for Swansea, who will head into the international break two points clear - or two if Boro win tomorrow.
BOURNEMOUTH SUB! Another good shift from King this evening, as he takes his tally to seven goals and one assist in six league outings. Gradel on in his place, as Wilshere blasts a shot right down the middle.
FULL TIME: BOURNEMOUTH 2-0 SWANSEA CITY
The full-time whistle is blown by Mike Dean, moments after Jordon Ibe was introduced from the bench, to signal a truly massive win for Bournemouth. They can surely now prepare for a third-successive season of top-flight football, while Swansea City's relegation struggles go on - now just three points between them and the bottom three, which could get worse if Middlesbrough beat Manchester United on Sunday.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the Vitality Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from this and all the day's other Premier League games can be found elsewhere on the site in the coming hours. Thanks for joining!
