Cherries' promotion bandwagon rumbles on - but the men from the Valleys remain ahead in the home straight.

Euphoria over another priceless three points at Dean Court - courtesy of a spectacular Stephen Purchess header - was dampened by news that Wrexham had snatched a late winner against Bristol Rovers.

That keeps the Welshmen in the third automatic promotion place with a point more than Cherries - and with a game in hand.

With just four games remaining for Bournemouth, Sean O'Driscoll must ensure his squad stays the course - and hope Wrexham blow a gasket short of the finishing line. Other sides are in the Cherries rear mirror too and all are desperate to avoid the lottery of the play-offs.

Yet the Cherries camp remains impressively calm. The team has played consistently well all season and that's bred a self-belief which has maintained focus and application.

Saturday's game against struggling Southend was just the sort of encounter to test the Cherries' resolve. To be fair, United made a fair stab at containing Cherries but superior class showed through with Marcus Browning commanding in midfield and Danny Thomas enjoying one of his best games in the red and black stripes.

Purchess was a revelation in midfield and his headed goal completed an exhibition move involving an excellent pass from Browning and a quality cross from Thomas.

Southend manager Stewart Robson described Bournemouth's play as "a blueprint" for the Third Division and he was certainly not the first visiting manager to heap praise on the side this season.

Cherries' contented boss Sean O'Driscoll responded by saying the result was "a one-nil workmanlike performance" and added: "The blueprint has taken three years to get there and I think Stewart has a long, hard road ahead of him. In football, people don't usually get that time."

Of the two home games remaining for Cherries, O'Driscoll said: "Lincoln will be a really difficult game because of the way they play and Shrewsbury were excellent when we played them up there. But, in the last two games, we have managed to solve the problems that other teams have given us."

Cherries can't afford any hiccups now. The two home games are sandwiched between an away trip to Hull on Saturday and the long haul to Carlisle for the final match on May 3. Cherries will be aiming for maximum points and hoping Wrexham splutter out of gas.