Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Eddie happy with side's progress
BOSS Eddie Howe believes Cherries are heading in the right direction as the League Two promotion race prepares to enter its closing stages.[LNB] Second-placed Cherries are three points ahead of a packing field following a run of just two defeats in their past eight games both on the road.[LNB] Howe's charges will be looking to maintain their impressive recent home form when they host play-off hopefuls Morecambe tomorrow (3pm).[LNB] The Shrimps inflicted Cherries' heaviest defeat under Howe 5-0 at Christie Park in December and were also on the receiving end of his joint-biggest win 4-0 at the same venue in May.[LNB] We've been really pleased with how we've played for the past couple of games, said Howe. Although we lost at Shrewsbury, I thought we were excellent in the first half and carried on from where we had left off against Barnet in our previous home game.[LNB] Sometimes, results are in the lap of the gods but you can always control performances. On the evidence of our past couple of games, I think we're heading in the right direction and improving.[LNB] We can go into the Morecambe game in a positive frame of mind on the back of a really good home performance against Barnet. The 3-0 scoreline was fully justified and we can take that confidence into this game.[LNB] Although the promotion picture is somewhat muddled due to a number of clubs having games in hand on Cherries, Howe insists his only concern is with his team's results and performances.[LNB] If we do our bit, then it won't matter what goes on elsewhere, said Howe. There are going to be plenty of twists and turns. People can speculate as to how many points you should get from this or that game, but it never works like that.[LNB] Football is a funny game which throws up strange results and there is a long way to go. I'm sure we will have our ups and downs but so will other clubs.[LNB] You go into every game wanting to win and are disappointed when you don't. We would love a run of three or four victories at this stage of the season but so would everybody else.[LNB] Whatever happens, it promises to be a very exciting end to the season for everyone and we can go into the final games in confident mood.[LNB] Howe is sweating on the availability of several key players and will give them as much time as possible to declare themselves fit. Danny Hollands (knee), Jason Pearce (foot), Liam Feeney (hamstring), Marvin Bartley (groin) and Rhoys Wiggins (knee) have all missed training sessions at some stage this week.[LNB] We really won't know what size of squad we've got until probably late Friday night or even early Saturday morning, said Howe. It would be great if we could get a couple back to boost numbers and quality.[LNB] Cherries: (from) Jalal, Bradbury, Cummings, Garry, Wiggins, Bartley, McQuoid, Robinson, Connell, Pitman, Fletcher, Goulding, Hollands, Igoe, Pearce, Feeney, Partington, Stockley, Thomas.[LNB] Morecambe: (from) Roche, Moss, Bentley, Haining, Parrish, Hunter, Stanley, Panther, Duffy, Jevons, Mullin, Drummond, Artell, Twiss, Craney, Curtis, McLachlan, Davies.[LNB]
