Premier League Bournemouth became the first team to confirm their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup as they hammered Championship side Swansea 5-0.
In a swift 14 minutes, Bournemouth surged to a 3-0 lead with goals from Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott, and Luis Sinisterra.
David Brooks played a pivotal role in setting up both Kelly and Scott’s goals, showcasing an impressive individual performance.
Brooks further contributed by scoring the fourth goal at the 34-minute mark, and Dominic Solanke added a fifth before halftime.
While Swansea showed improvement after the break, managing to mitigate further damage, Bournemouth comfortably progressed into the fifth round.
Brooks and Scott inspire Bournemouth
This marked the second encounter between the two teams this season, with Bournemouth securing a 3-2 victory at the Swansea.com Stadium in the Carabao Cup back in August.
That win under Andoni Iraola marked his first triumph as Cherries boss, sealed by a stoppage-time goal from Ryan Christie.
Notably, the August game saw David Brooks scoring his first competitive goal since returning from cancer treatment.
Brooks, captaining Bournemouth once again in this match, led a side that underwent five changes from their 4-0 Premier League defeat against Liverpool on Sunday.
In his impactful return, Brooks initiated the scoring with a deep free-kick that allowed Lloyd Kelly to find the net with a skillful half-volley into the roof.
The Welshman continued to be a key orchestrator, using his intelligent running to consistently unsettle Swansea’s defense.
The home team persisted in pressing the visitors relentlessly during the early stages, causing the Championship side to falter. In the 10th minute, Brooks skillfully navigated through their defense, delivering a precise ball to Scott, who calmly finished the opportunity.
A third goal was handed to Bournemouth by Swansea when goalkeeper Andy Fisher’s errant pass was intercepted by Scott. Scott then set up Sinisterra, who cut inside and executed a right-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Brooks and Scott continued to trouble Swansea, and it was unsurprising when Brooks capitalized on another mistake by the Swans. He exchanged passes with Solanke, creating space to sprint ahead and secure the goal.
Swansea appeared vulnerable every time the hosts launched an attack, and Solanke added to their woes by neatly guiding the ball home from Sinisterra’s pinpoint cross just before half-time.
It proved to be a challenging night for Swansea and their newly-appointed manager, Luke Williams, who made five changes to the starting XI following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at home to Southampton, revealing defensive vulnerabilities for the Swans.
Swansea generated some opportunities in the first half, with Mark Travers making a crucial save from Nathan Wood after Kyle Naughton’s long-range attempt hit the post. The Cherries’ goalkeeper also delivered a spectacular stop to deny Liam Cullen’s powerful shot.
Nevertheless, for the most part, the game turned into an exercise in limiting damage for the visitors, while Bournemouth had the luxury to make changes to their squad, which had been plagued by injuries, during the second half.
There is a concern for the hosts as defender James Hill had to leave the field due to an ankle issue. However, key players such as Solanke, Brooks, Scott, and Kelly were afforded some rest.
While the hosts hinted at the possibility of extending their already significant lead, a series of blocks and last-ditch defensive efforts from the visitors ensured that the scoreline remained 5-0. Bournemouth’s intensity waned as the game was effectively secured.
Bournemouth goalscorer David Brooks on S4C:
“I’m trying to do the best I can when I get the minutes and the opportunities.
“We’ve got a great group of players and today was one of the chances I get to show what I’m capable of and hopefully I’ve done that.”
Swansea head coach Luke Williams on S4C:
“It was a horrible night for us.
“I apologised to the players as I tried to set up the team to cause a problem for the opposition. Because it’s a cup game we have to find a way to win the game.
“I got the balance wrong, too many players in advanced positions and in the turnover too few players to stem the attack and the opposition were very good.
“It was very difficult to get near their goal and in the second half we tried to limit the damage because the scoreline was too heavy. We were playing against an outstanding team.”