WADE Elliott might be a little absent-minded when it comes to suitcases but at least he still knows where the goal is.

Elliott put the smiles back on the faces of the Dean Court faithful when his second-half decider helped Cherries get back to winning ways.

And the popular winger also ensured he had the last laugh on Brentford goalkeeper Paul Smith.

A week ago today, Elliott and Smith joined a host of other club representatives at the annual general meeting of the Professional Footballers' Association in Manchester.

The 24-year-old takes up the story: "Me and Smithy agreed to share a taxi from the hotel to the train station with Scott McGleish who plays for Colchester.

"My train to Bournemouth left at 5.26pm and their's to Euston went a minute later so we were all desperate to make sure we caught them.

"The meeting finished bang on 5pm so the three of us rushed to get a taxi and managed to get to the station with five minutes to spare.

"But when I got out of the cab, I realised I had left my bag at the hotel and Smithy had a bit of a smirk on his face when he said goodbye.

"I then had to sprint across Manchester city centre to get my bag. I think it was the best run I've had since pre-season.

"I managed to get the next train about half-an-hour later and Smithy was good enough to ring me to tell me he was tucked up in bed by 10pm. I didn't get home until midnight."

Elliott's 27th league goal for Cherries came after 63 minutes and followed a sustained spell of pressure from the home side.

However, when Sean O'Driscoll said he thought that Cherries had accumulated "17 chances to score and I don't mean half-chances", he was exaggerating - but only slightly...

Chance number one: Marcus Browning is unlikely to get a better opportunity to break his duck for the season than the one he got after just seven minutes. After outjumping Smith on the edge of the six-yard box, he directed a header wide from Brian Stock's inswinging free-kick.

Chance number two: After Bees midfielder Steve Hunt had clearly handled a cross from Elliott in full view of linesman Matthew Knight inside the penalty area, the ball came back to the Cherries winger who crossed to the far post where Steve Fletcher nodded it the wrong side of the upright.

Chance number three: Carl Fletcher timed his run to perfection to meet Stock's 18th-minute corner, but planted his header past Smith's right-hand post.

Chance number four: After a Jay Tabb effort had been deflected for a corner, Stock lifted a cross-cum-shot over the crossbar. The opportunity had arisen after Smith had fumbled Warren Cummings' centre into the path of Elliott who, in turn, fed Stock.

Chance number five: Although Garreth O'Connor was left hoping the ground would open up and swallow him following this glaring miss, the chance owed much to the ingenuity of the Irishman. O'Connor slipped the ball to Browning after Stock had started the move and then darted towards the 18-yard box. However, after Browning had cut the ball back from the by-line, O'Connor contrived to shank it wide from a central position just eight yards from goal with his left foot.

Chance number six: Brentford had begun to sense that it just might be their day and Neil Moss had to be at his best to save from Tabb and Ibrahima Sonko. But normal service was soon resumed at the other end when a bizarre incident saw Carl Fletcher inadvertently deny Steve Fletcher by unwittingly blocking his team-mate's bullet header after Browning had flicked on Stock's corner.

Chance number seven: After Moss had again distinguished himself by racing off his line to save at the feet of Ben May in first-half injury time, Warren Feeney drilled a speculative effort over the crossbar at the start of the second half.

Chance number eight: Steve Purches, impressive throughout in the right-back berth, got in on the act after 51 minutes when Smith was forced to acrobatically push his thunderous 30-yard drive around the post.

Chance number nine: Smith again denied Cherries after Steve Fletcher's flick from Moss's towering clearance had resulted in Feeney wriggling free from his marker on the edge of the box. This was arguably Smith's best save of the game, but as the Bees number one was quick to point out later: "They are all good saves as long as they don't go in."

Chance number 10: Good work by Carl Fletcher and O'Connor set up an opening for Stock who unleashed a powerful right-foot piledriver which Smith again palmed away.

Chance number 11: Cherries finally made the breakthrough when Elliott converted his fourth goal of the season after 63 minutes. He was on hand to tuck the ball into the back of the net after profiting from a couple of ricochets following an impromptu game of pinball inside the Bees 18-yard box. Initially, Feeney had been denied by Smith after he had met Steve Fletcher's knockdown from Purches's high cross with a hooked shot. Elliott, whose first headed effort invitingly came back to him off defender Joel Kitamirike, capitalised on the Bees' failure to clear the danger and finally enemy lines were breached.

Chance number 12: Feeney, a constant threat to the Bees, then clipped the top of the crossbar with a right-foot effort after he had been picked out by Elliott's intelligent reverse pass with nine minutes remaining.

Chance number 13: And there was still time for Feeney to sprint from one end of the pitch to the other to almost get on the end of a cross from Cummings after the Ulsterman had done his bit at the back by blocking a free-kick from Hunt.

Following the final whistle, Elliott spoke to the press as songs by firstly Meatloaf and then Christina Aguilera bellowed through the thin walls from the Cherries dressing room.

"It's a new compilation CD which Fletch has put together. The songs in the dressing room were getting a bit stale so maybe that's what perked us up a bit."

When asked to describe his goal, Elliott said: "Fletch has told me to make sure I mention that he flicked it on."

He then departed the press room, clutching his kit bag.