Daniel Adu-Adjei’s hat-trick and a double from Kian Tydeman earned AFC Bournemouth a 5-0 win over Fleetwood Town to keep alive their hopes of reaching the Professional Development League play-offs.

Victory saw the Cherries climb to fourth place on 48 points in Group South, leaving them in a three-team battle to secure second place along with QPR and Swansea City, who are on 49 and 48, respectively, with one regulation league game remaining.

Alan Connell’s team meet Crewe Alexandra at Vitality Stadium on Tuesday 14^th May, while QPR host Barnsley at Loftus Road on Tuesday and Swansea entertain Birmingham at Swansea.com Stadium a week today.

Adu-Adjei netted either side of half-time to put the Cherries in the driving seat and completed the scoring after Tydeman had added his brace, the hosts scoring three times in the space of nine second-half minutes.

Tydeman saw an effort flash past the post in the early stages before Fleetwood goalkeeper Lewis Ridd smothered Dom Sadi’s drive from the edge of the box.

Charlie Osborne required a lengthy spell of treatment after taking a blow to the face when he bravely threw himself in front of Pharrell Brown’s thunderous shot.

Adu-Adjei had the ball in the net midway through the first half but his effort was ruled out for offside before Sadi lifted his shot high over the crossbar.

Michael Dacosta Gonzalez’s cutback teed up Adu-Adjei but his shot from a tight angle was parried at his near post by Ridd.

Another effort from Adu-Adjei bounced past the upright before the striker opened the scoring with a fine individual strike in the 36^th minute.

Having held off two defenders and with his back to goal, the 18-year-old turned sharply before rifling an unstoppable shot beyond Rudd.

It was his 21^st goal of the season for the Cherries, the teenager having also netted once during a loan spell in League One with Leyton Orient.

Dacosta Gonzalez went close to doubling the Cherries’ lead when his low drive fizzed past the upright before Adu-Adjei scooped a close-range effort over the crossbar.

Adu-Adjei added his and the Cherries’ second goal following a well-worked free-kick routine just two minutes after half-time.

Ben Greenwood rolled the ball to Lewis Brown who, in turn, swept it into the path of Adu-Adjei, the striker going past two defenders before finding the back of the net.

Sadi went close to making it 3-0 when his strike from an acute angle dropped agonisingly wide of the opposite post.

There was no reprieve for the Cod Army when Tydeman, put through by Balraj Landa’s ball over the top, lifted his shot over the advancing Ridd, his exquisite finish making it 3-0 in the 53rd minute.

And the Cherries forged further ahead when Tydeman, assisted by Adu-Adjei’s pass, rounded Ridd and slotted the ball into an unguarded net two minutes later.

The Cherries created a number of chances to extend their lead with Adu-Adjei firing narrowly wide after being put through by substitute Ash Clarke before Cal McKenna beat away Jersey Lopez’s fierce drive late on.

Adu-Adjei completed the scoring and his hat-trick two minutes from time, the frontman rounding Ridd and squeezing the ball home from the tightest of angles.

AFC Bournemouth: McKenna, Tonks, Greenwood, Brown, Osborne (Okoh, 74), Landa, Williams, Sadi (Rees-Dottin, 66), Adu-Adjei, Dacosta Gonzalez (Clarke, 74), Tydeman (Stuttle, 74). Unused sub: Allan (g/k).