Brett Pitman has been prolific for Bournemouth during their promotion campaign
By Paul Fletcher
BBC Sport at the Pirelli Stadium
Brett Pitman's 27th goal of the season and Alan Connell's late effort ensured that Bournemouth sealed a remarkable promotion to League One after a deserved victory at Burton Albion.
Bournemouth have been under a transfer embargo for most of the season and often so short of personnel that they have regularly failed to name their full complement of seven players on the bench.
But after rookie manager Eddie Howe masterminded the great escape last season, the 32-year-old can now celebrate his first promotion in Football League management after a campaign during which his team have constantly defied expectations that they would eventually run out of steam.
Pitman's skilful half-volleyed finish after veteran striker Steve Fletcher's headed knock-down midway through the second half put the visiting team in front.
And substitute Connell tapped home from close range on the stroke of full-time to guarantee the points Bournemouth needed to secure third place in League Two.
Pitman missed several other decent chances throughout the game, which at one point look liked turning into a frustrating afternoon for the estimated 1,600 away spectators at the Pirelli Stadium.
Instead the frustration belonged to Burton, who have had a successful first season in the Football League but are ending the campaign on a whimper after seven games without victory.
It might have been a different story but for an unbelievable first-half save from Shwan Jalal, who clawed a Jacques Maghoma on to the post and out for a corner.
Bournemouth looked relaxed as they warmed-up and started the match with the irresistible momentum of a team determined to seal promotion in the spring sunshine.
Pitman saw a free-kick deflected wide in the second minute, while the subsequent corner led to a quick succession of blocked headers and shots.
Leading scorer Pitman wasted a gilt-edge chance to open the scoring when he headed wide from six yards after seven minutes and missed with an angled strike from the edge of the area shortly afterwards.
It was a start that warranted a goal but Burton gradually began to establish a foothold in midfield and started to threaten Jalal's goal, with Maghoma and Shaun Harrad both shooting wide.
The Cherries responded, with Pitman heading wide from a corner and narrowly missing with a crisp strike from a Fletcher knock-down.
A piercing through ball from Marvin Bartley sent Pitman through on goal close to the break but his shot was well saved by 46-year-old keeper Kevin Poole.
However, it looked as though it would be the Brewers who led at the break when Maghoma superbly connected with a cross from the left, but he was thwarted by Jalal's sensational one-handed save.
Danny Hollands, who went close with a glancing header in the opening half, almost found the net in front of the travelling contingent shortly after the restart but his looping strike did not quite dip enough.
Pitman then failed to connect with a low cross and Fletcher saw his effort blocked, while Poole smothered captain Jason Pearce's attempted to bundle the ball over the line.
But Pitman, whose goals have been crucial to the Cherries this season, found the net after 67 minutes.
It was a superb finish as the ball was slightly behind him as he made contact but he found the bottom corner before climbing off the turf and charging towards the away fans to celebrate.
Pitman could have ensured victory with a low curling strike that was inches wide of Poole's post before Steve Kabba almost spoiled the party with a low strike that Jalal saved.
There was just time for Connell, on the pitch for little more than a minute as a replacement for Fletcher, to bundle the ball home after Poole parried Anton Robinson's effort.
Burton manager Paul Peschisolido told BBC Radio Derby:
"We played against a better team. I think you can gloss it up any way you want but I have to say, on today's account, they were excellent.
"They were strong and they worked extremely hard, they gave us not a moment's peace.
"They were worthy of the win and that's why they've been promoted."
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told BBC Radio Solent: "Last season the relief was huge because we were in real trouble and this season it's totally different.
"We've actually achieved something that will last forever, so that's a nice feeling.
"It's been difficult...the players have been asked to play out of position, some have been asked to play when they are injured but time and time against they've come out and proved people wrong."
90:00+1:40 Substitution (Bournemouth) makes a substitution, with Warren Cummings coming on for Marvin Bartley.
90:00+1:40 Free kick awarded for a foul by John McGrath on Marvin Bartley. Free kick taken by Shaun Cooper.
90:00+0:50 Corner taken right-footed by Michael Simpson from the left by-line to the near post, Brett Pitman makes a clearance.
89:22 GOAL - Alan Connell:Burton Albion 0 - 2 Bournemouth A goal is scored by Alan Connell from close in low into the middle of the goal. Burton Albion 0-2 Bournemouth.
88:20 Substitution Alan Connell on for Steve Fletcher.
88:20 Shaun Cooper fouled by Greg Pearson, the ref awards a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Shwan Jalal.
87:43 Outswinging corner taken by Paul Boertien from the left by-line.
87:23 Steven Kabba takes a shot. Save by Shwan Jalal.
86:32 Danny Hollands fouled by Greg Pearson, the ref awards a free kick. Shwan Jalal takes the free kick.
84:16 Substitution (Bournemouth) makes a substitution, with Josh McQuoid coming on for Liam Feeney.
82:46 Free kick awarded for a foul by John McGrath on Liam Feeney. Lee Bradbury takes the free kick.
82:28 Marvin Bartley gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Kabba. Steven Kabba takes the free kick.
81:04 Cleveland Taylor takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Brett Pitman.
80:36 Clearance by Shaun Cooper.
80:36 Booking Lee Bradbury goes into the book.
80:13 Booking Greg Pearson shown a yellow card.
79:10 Cleveland Taylor takes the outswinging corner,
77:14 Unfair challenge on Steve Fletcher by Tom Parkes results in a free kick. Shaun Cooper takes the free kick.
75:14 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Russell Penn by Lee Bradbury. Free kick crossed right-footed by Michael Simpson
from left wing, Shwan Jalal makes a save.
73:51 Shot by Brett Pitman from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.
73:34 Russell Penn takes a shot. Save by Shwan Jalal.
73:12 Unfair challenge on Steven Kabba by Danny Hollands results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Russell Penn.
71:28 Liam Feeney gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Paul Boertien. Kevin Poole takes the indirect free kick.
65:52 Steve Fletcher provided the assist for the goal.
65:52 GOAL - Brett Pitman:Burton Albion 0 - 1 Bournemouth A goal is scored by Brett Pitman from deep inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Burton Albion 0-1
Bournemouth.
65:27 Steven Kabba gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Danny Hollands. Free kick taken by Shaun Cooper.
64:41 Substitution Steven Kabba on for Shaun Harrad.
64:08 Liam Feeney produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right.
63:29 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Tom Parkes by Anton Robinson. Kevin Poole takes the indirect free kick.
58:12 Paul Boertien decides to take a short corner.
57:21 Unfair challenge on Greg Pearson by Marvin Bartley results in a free kick. Free kick taken by John McGrath.
56:06 Unfair challenge on Shaun Harrad by Shaun Cooper results in a free kick. Paul Boertien restarts play with the free kick.
55:05 Inswinging corner taken by Cleveland Taylor from the left by-line played to the near post, Brett Pitman manages to make a
clearance.
54:27 Booking Jason Pearce booked.
54:05 Jason Pearce challenges Cleveland Taylor unfairly and gives away a free kick. John McGrath takes the free kick.
52:50 The referee blows for offside. Kevin Poole takes the indirect free kick.
51:22 Russell Penn concedes a free kick for a foul on Marvin Bartley. Rhoys Wiggins takes the indirect free kick, Brett Pitman takes
a shot. Kevin Poole makes a save.
50:47 Shaun Harrad challenges Lee Bradbury unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shaun Cooper restarts play with the free kick.
49:19 John McGrath challenges Anton Robinson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shaun Cooper takes the free kick.
49:00 Russell Penn fouled by Danny Hollands, the ref awards a free kick. Russell Penn takes the free kick.
46:30 Long range effort by Danny Hollands goes wide right of the net.
45:38 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Rhoys Wiggins, clearance by Tom Parkes.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
45:01 Substitution Jacques Maghoma goes off and Cleveland Taylor comes on.
45:01 Substitution Romuald Boco is brought on as a substitute for Andrew Corbett.
Half Time
45:00+1:55 The ref blows to end the first period.
41:35 Liam Feeney takes a shot. Blocked by Kevin Poole.
38:17 Brett Pitman takes a shot. Save by Kevin Poole.
36:29 Foul by Shaun Kelly on Steve Fletcher, free kick awarded. Rhoys Wiggins takes the free kick.
35:46 Corner taken left-footed by John McGrath from the right by-line, save by Shwan Jalal.
35:25 Greg Pearson takes a shot. Save made by Shwan Jalal.
34:13 Brett Pitman takes a shot. Save by Kevin Poole.
32:51 Greg Pearson is ruled offside. Shwan Jalal restarts play with the free kick.
30:10 Brett Pitman has shot on goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
29:15 Headed effort from inside the area by Danny Hollands misses to the left of the target.
28:10 Michael Simpson fouled by Danny Hollands, the ref awards a free kick. Michael Simpson takes the free kick.
26:59 Andrew Corbett challenges Steve Fletcher unfairly and gives away a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Brett Pitman.
24:57 Marvin Bartley gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Russell Penn. Direct free kick taken by John McGrath.
24:00 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steve Fletcher on Shaun Kelly. Shaun Kelly takes the free kick.
23:05 Liam Feeney takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Header from deep inside the penalty area by
Brett Pitman goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
22:26 Brett Pitman challenges Tom Parkes unfairly and gives away a free kick. Michael Simpson restarts play with the free kick.
21:17 Foul by Shaun Harrad on Shaun Cooper, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Shwan Jalal.
19:37 Unfair challenge on Shaun Harrad by Lee Bradbury results in a free kick. Free kick taken by John McGrath.
17:29 Free kick awarded for a foul by Marvin Bartley on Russell Penn. Tom Parkes takes the direct free kick.
16:56 The referee blows for offside against Greg Pearson. Shwan Jalal restarts play with the free kick.
14:30 Shaun Harrad produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the target.
13:40 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Danny Hollands by Russell Penn. Shwan Jalal takes the indirect free kick.
11:50 Shaun Harrad produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the target.
11:22 The referee blows for offside against Brett Pitman. Kevin Poole takes the free kick.
10:38 Foul by John McGrath on Steve Fletcher, free kick awarded. Shaun Cooper takes the free kick.
10:38 Booking John McGrath goes into the referee's book.
6:24 Jacques Maghoma has an effort at goal from outside the box missing to the wide left of the goal.
4:30 Steve Fletcher gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Parkes. Kevin Poole takes the free kick.
3:55 Shot from just outside the area by Brett Pitman misses to the right of the target.
3:15 Headed effort from inside the area by Brett Pitman misses to the right of the goal.
1:19 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Rhoys Wiggins.
0:25 John McGrath challenges Liam Feeney unfairly and gives away a free kick. Strike on goal comes in from Brett Pitman from the
free kick.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.
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