Yann Kermorgant opened his Bournemouth account with a hat-trick which helped them hammer Doncaster Rovers 5-0 at Dean Court this afternoon.

The January signing from Charlton Athletic was handed his full Cherries debut by Eddie Howe and repaid his manager by scoring his first goals for his new club.

Harry Arter also found the net twice as the South Coast outfit hit five at home for the second time this season against a Donny side who remain only three points clear of Championship safety.

Kermorgant began the rout by converting Ian Harte's cross from the left on 26 minutes, and was grateful for more good service from the flanks when he headed in a second which gave them control at the break.

Rovers' on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone had previously kept out Ryan Fraser and Andrew Surman in a first half in which the visitors failed to register a shot on target.

Bournemouth made their dominance pay further when Matt Richie's blocked shot fell to Artur, who ran onto the ball from 18 yards to fire into the bottom corner five minutes after the interval.

Kermorgant saved his best until last with a powerful 15-yard header from Simon Francis's cross, and he was given a standing ovation when he was replaced by club-record signing Tokelo Rantie on 75 minutes.

There was still time for Arter to notch his second and Bournemouth's fifth, when he smashed home the loose ball after Johnstone, who was helpless with the previous four goals, failed to clear a corner.