Bournemouth 3 Walsall 0

Walsall failed to arrest their slump as the Saddlers' relegation worries grew after a lacklustre defeat.

Josh McQuoid's hat-trick condemned the visitors to their 11th defeat of the season and left them in danger of being cut adrift, eight points from safety.

Travelling fans continued their calls for manager Chris Hutchings' head, with Walsall rooted to the bottom of League One.

They failed to test Shwan Jalal in the home goal once, in a desperately disappointing attacking effort.

The Saddlers deployed a 4-5-1 formation, as Hutchings made five changes from the team who scraped a draw at Fleetwood last weekend.

New-boy Andy Butler was handed an instant debut after signing on a free transfer yesterday, as Clayton McDonald failed to recover from his hamstring injury.

Jonathan Macken was ruled out after picking up an injury in training, leaving Liam Dickinson as the lone striker.

Paul Marshall won a recall – his first start for two months – and Aaron Lescott replaced the suspended Ryan McGivern.

Julian Gray and Reuben Reid returned, with Martin Devaney out with a hamstring strain and Steve Jones benched.

The Saddlers set out to stifle their hosts – who had scored 20 times in League One at home – but the Cherries were on the attack instantly.

They won two early corners and McQuoid fired over after the second flag kick flummoxed Walsall.

But, in truth, it was a tame start with the Cherries bossing possession but failing to produce the killer ball.

Walsall frustrated their hosts but offered little attacking threat, before Jalal almost spilled Marshall's cross into his own net after 21 minutes.

The tide had begun to turn the Saddlers' way but, in what is becoming tradition this season, they shot themselves in the foot on the half hour.

Matt Richards squandered possession and Bournemouth seized the initiative, Mark Pugh fooled Manny Smith and crossed for McQuoid to plant a six-yard header beyond goalkeeper Jimmy Walker.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of the visitors as they struggled to react before the break.

The re-start was delayed after a calf injury to one of the assistant referees and, when play resumed, the game continued in the same way.

McQuoid curled well wide and Taundry deflected Rhoys Wiggins' free kick behind in what had become a drab encounter.

But the Cherries lifted the Dean Court gloom on 70 minutes when a long ball caught the visitors out and Wiggins crossed for the unmarked McQuoid to head in.

There was no way back for the Saddlers, as Bournemouth chased a third and Liam Feeney tested Walker with a low drive.

It was all too easy for the Cherries with Walsall resigned to their fate and McQuoid bagged his second hat-trick of the week – following his FA Cup treble against Tranmere four minutes from time.

The striker latched onto a loose ball and rifled into bottom corner from 25-yards with the aid of a deflection.