WADE Elliott's stunning second-half goal earned Cherries a crucial victory following an absorbing five-goal thriller at the Avenue Stadium last night.

The 22-year-old wing wizard grabbed a 30-yard screamer as Cherries notched three goals in eight second-half minutes to cancel out Matthew Tipton's early opener.

Elliott's strike followed hot on the heels of headers from James Hayter and loan star Derek Holmes to earn Sean O'Driscoll's men a deserved victory.

With Shaun Maher and Stephen Purches both failing late fitness tests, O'Driscoll was forced to shuffle his starting line-up.

Youngsters Brian Stock and Narada were drafted in, while O'Driscoll chose to start with Holmes and Hayter in attack.

Cherries got off to the worst possible start when they went behind after just 24 seconds.

Narada's dreadful back-pass was intercepted by Oldham striker Craig Dudley who pushed the ball wide of Cherries goalkeeper Gareth Stewart and into the path of Tipton who had the simple task of slotting the ball into the empty net.

It was a shattering blow for O'Driscoll's young side who knew they were going to be up against it against the Division Two leaders and the joint highest goalscorers in England and Scotland. But despite the early setback Cherries battled bravely in search of an equaliser and just about shaded the possession honours in the opening period.

Minutes after Oldham had taken the lead, Stock sent a 30-yard freekick fizzing past the upright as O'Driscoll's young charges tried to hit back.

But they had an escape after six minutes when a superb one-handed save from Stewart prevented Danny Boshell making it 2-0 from a close-range header.

At the other end, Oldham goalkeeper Gary Kelly saved a wicked cross from Elliott with Holmes lurking at the far post.

After 20 minutes, a speculative cross from the left by David Eyres hit the inside of the post before the ball was headed away to safety by Eddie Howe.

A neat build up involving Narada ended with James Ford dragging a long range shot wide following a neat cushioned header by Holmes.

It was Ford's last contribution before he was sacrificed as a tactical measure by O'Driscoll and replaced by striker Chukki Eribenne after just 27 minutes.

Stock then ballooned the ball over the bar after a cross from Narada was only half cleared before Elliott unleashed a rasping 35-yard drive which was well saved by Kelly.

Cherries started the second half in determined mood and just three minutes after the restart, Holmes headed the ball into Kelly's arms following a cross from Howe.

The Scotsman also headed a cross from Wade Elliott over the bar as Cherries enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure.

And, the home side were rewarded after 56 minutes when they equalised through James Hayter.

The 22-year-old latched onto Karl Broadhurst's deep cross from the right and planted a diving header past Kelly.

With Cherries now in the ascendancy, Elliott embarked on an electrifying run from his own half and was denied a sensational goal when Kelly pawed his left-foot shot round the post.

But from the resultant corner taken by Hayter, Holmes peeled off the near post and nodded Cherries in a deserved lead in the 59th minute.

Then, Elliott deservedly got his name on the scoresheet after 64 minutes when he beat Kelly with a stunning 30-yard drive into the top left hand of the Oldham goalkeeper's net.

It was another trademark strike from the inspirational midfielder and thoroughly deserved as Elliott had had a hand in Cherries' two other goals.

But just seconds later, Oldham reduced the arrears when Eyres despatched a shot from the edge of the box which deflected off Jason Tindall and wrong-footed Stewart before it went into the back of the net.

Then, on 70 minutes, Cherries were reduced to 10 men when Tindall, cautioned on the stroke of half-time for descent, received a second yellow card when he tripped Dudley on the edge of the box.

And from the resultant free-kick taken by Eyres, Stewart dived to his right to push the ball round the post.

With time running out for Oldham, a corner from Eyres fell to Lee Duxbury inside the box but bizarrely his effort hit Oldham substitute John Eyre and went over the crossbar.

In the dying seconds, Elliott sprung the offside trap but was denied a second goal when he fired his shot straight at Kelly.

As tackles flew thick and fast in the closing stages Eyres, Eyre and Cherries defender Howe joined Boshell and Tindall in referee Andy Hall's notebook.