Man of the moment Dan Adu-Adjei netted a superb second-half winner as AFC Bournemouth registered an impressive 3-2 victory over Norwich City in the Premier League Cup.

Adu-Adjei, who plundered a hat-trick in the Cherries’ midweek triumph over Swansea City, settled a pulsating encounter in favour of Alan Connell’s team when he netted 17 minutes from time.

The striker found the bottom corner with an arrow-like left-foot shot – his 11^th goal of a productive season – as the Cherries leapfrogged the Canaries and climbed to the top of Group C with seven points from their first three games, all on the road.

Connell’s team had raced into a two-goal lead at Norwich’s Lotus Training Centre, Dominic Sadi and Nathan Moriah-Welsh both scoring in the first 12 minutes.

But despite being pegged back by Joe Duffy’s quickfire double, which came in the 62^nd and 65^th minutes, the Cherries showed tremendous character and resolve to regain the lead and extend to nine games their unbeaten run in all competitions, with eight wins in the sequence.

Cameron Plain was called into action after just 36 seconds, the Cherries goalkeeper saving Gabriel Forsyth’s header from a looping cross.

The Cherries broke the deadlock in the fourth minute with Moriah-Welsh robbing a Canaries defender as the hosts looked to play out from the back.

And after his low cross had been met by Adu-Adjei, Norwich goalkeeper Caleb Ansen blocked his shot but Sadi was well positioned to fire the loose ball into the back of the net.

Adu-Adjei then turned provider for Ben Greenwood to try his luck, the defender’s effort from just inside the box forcing Ansen to dive full-length to his right to keep it out.

Moriah-Welsh’s shot flashed narrowly past the upright before the Cherries were rewarded for their early endeavours with a second goal after 12 minutes.

A slick exchange of passes between Moriah-Welsh and Adu-Adjei carved open the Canaries defence, the midfielder finishing with accuracy past Ansen.

Ken Aboh, who netted in Norwich’s first two games in the competition, went close to halving the deficit when his fierce drive just cleared the crossbar.

Another effort from Sadi was blocked by a defender before Adu-Adjei poked his shot from a Moriah-Welsh inches past the post.

Plain saved comfortably after Emmanual Adegboyega had met a Harry cross before the Cherries goalkeeper kept out Forsyth’s shot.

The Cherries went close to grabbing a third goal six minutes from time when Ansen pulled off a top-drawer save to prevent Adu-Adjei scoring after Moriah-Welsh had teed him up.

A sweeping move early in the second half ended with Adu-Adjei firing wide from close range having been picked out by Boutin’s low cross.

Forsyth’s blistering 25-yarder skimmed the top of the crossbar before the Canaries reduced the arrears through Duffy after 62 minutes.

He was in the right place at the right time, poking the ball home from inside the six-yard box after Forsyth’s 62^nd-minute corner had led to a goalmouth scramble.

Just three minutes later, Duffy levelled for the Canaries when his cross-shot looped in at the far post following a short corner.

Moriah-Welsh went close to restoring the Cherries’ lead when his right-foot shot flew narrowly past the post before Forsyth’s free-kick was well saved by Plain.

The visitors regained the advantage after 73 minutes, Adu-Adjei squeezing his shot from just inside the box into the bottom corner following a surging run from Moriah-Welsh.

Cherries substitute Kian Tydeman arrived to meet Adu-Adjei’s cross, only to see his effort deflected for a corner before another shot from Forsyth went wide.

AFC Bournemouth: Plain, Tonks, Boutin, Wadham, Kinsey, Greenwood, Moriah-Welsh (Harris, 86), Sadi (Okoh, 66), Adu-Adjei, Dacosta Gonzalez (Tydeman, 78), Williams (Landa, 66).

Unused sub: Seeley (g/k).

Booked: Dacosta Gonzalez, Tonks, Moriah-Welsh, Adu-Adjei.

Norwich City: Ansen, Adegboyega, Wilson, Renecke, Forsyth, Brooke (McIntosh, h/t), Lima (Montóia, h/t), Manning (Eze, 78), Welch, Myles (Duffy, 58), Aboh.

Booked: Lima.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo.

Pictures courtesy of Izzy Poles and Norwich City FC.