Gary Hart summed up Albion's third League defeat of the season in five words - "We let the manager down".

The previous two were by the same score away from home, at Barnsley and Colchester, but this was the worst.

It wasn't for the want of trying. As caretaker Bob Booker said: "I've got no complaints with the players' effort. I couldn't have asked them for any more."

Far too many players were just below-par. You can get away with carrying one or two, but when a number under-achieve that can only mean trouble, irrespective of the quality of the opposition.

Bournemouth, bright and inventive, demonstrated why they are unbeaten at the redeveloped Dean Court this season and have now lost only one of their last 11 League outings.

They dominated the midfield, looked dangerous in wide areas and defended, when the need arose, with great determination.

Booker, tasting defeat for the first time three games into his reign, said: "I was disappointed with the result.

"I didn't think we really got started in the first half. We had a chat about it at half time and I thought we did better as the game went on.

"We could have done with another 20 minutes and we lost to a scruffy goal."

It took Bournemouth only 14 minutes to ruin Michel Kuipers' 100th League appearance for Albion.

Danny Cullip's clearing header from a Wade Elliott cross fell to former Seagull James Hayter just inside the area.

His shot was blocked by Adam Hinshelwood, but the ball broke for Warren Feeney to knock in his fourth goal in the last five League games from point blank range.

Twenty minutes later the unfortunate Feeney was on his way to hospital.

A clearance by Kerry Mayo struck him flush in the face from close quarters as he tried to close the fullback down just inside the Albion half.

It was the sort of incident you see quite often, but not normally with such severe consequences.

Feeney, surrounded by medical staff, was eventually stretchered off with his head encased in a brace.

Seven minutes had to be added on at the end of the first half and a hospital check revealed Feeney had not broken his jaw and escaped with only facial injuries.

Mayo said: "He was out cold. The worrying thing for me at the time was that he wasn't moving, but you could see he was breathing and the medics did a great job.

"Luckily it was close to the touchline, so if there was any possibility of him swallowing his tongue or anything like that they were right on hand.

"I am gutted for the lad, being a fellow professional. I wish him a speedy recovery."

Feeney was so out of it that he even had to ask the ambulanceman who had scored Bournemouth's goal!

The margin of the victory he unwittingly secured could easily have been more decisive.

Either side of the interval a header by Cherries captain Carl Fletcher from a corner hit a post and Feeney's young replacement Alan Connell header wastefully over from close in.

Albion, with Leon Knight well shackled, offered little in response apart from shots from long range, which were comfortably dealt with by Neil Moss.

They finished with more bookings than decent efforts on goal.

Mayo, Knight, Hinshelwood, Richard Carpenter and late sub Paul Watson were all cautioned in a slightly improved second half showing.

Hinshelwood was fortunate not to see red for a reckless tackle in the closing stages as Hayter tried to waste time by taking the ball into the corner.

Mayo said: "All the lads are disappointed. I don't think we got out of the stalls to be honest.

"In the second half we picked up but in the first half we were below par. It was just one of those days."

At least the injury which forced 11-goal Knight off at the end was nothing worse than a kick across a toe. He is expected to be fit for tomorrow night's trip to Brentford.

Albion, as has been the case so often in the past few seasons, bounced straight back from those earlier defeats at Barnsley and Colchester with wins.

Now Booker needs them to exhibit their powers of rapid recovery again against his old club.