Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Crucial part of the season for Howe
BOSS Eddie Howe believes a course in home improvements could prove key as Cherries look to consolidate their position in the League Two promotion frame.[LNB] Howe's charges closed the gap to just four points on leaders Rochdale following back-to-back victories in their awayday double-header at Crewe and Rotherham.[LNB] Cherries' seventh and eighth away league wins of the season saw them take their points haul on the road to 27 two more than their tally at home.[LNB] And with 10 of their remaining 18 games to be played at Dean Court, Howe knows a return to home rule following successive defeats by Northampton and Bury could be crucial.[LNB] Since opening the campaign with five home league wins on the trot, Cherries have taken only 10 points from a possible 24 in front of their own supporters.[LNB] Cherries will be hoping to turn the tide at home and complete their fourth double of the season when they host struggling Cheltenham tomorrow (3pm).[LNB] Howe said: I don't think we have hit the heights at home recently so it would be nice to get back on our own turf and put on a really good performance.[LNB] We're at a crucial stage of the season and games come thick and fast during the run-in. This is when we need to be on good form.[LNB] Cheltenham are fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table and, as everyone knows from our experience last season, they are going to give everything to try to get out of the situation so we need to do things right ourselves.[LNB] Three defeats on the bounce had seen Cherries slip 10 points behind Rochdale and allowed the chasing pack to make up ground. But deserved wins at Crewe and Rotherham stopped the rot as Howe's men rediscovered their best.[LNB] Despite their perilous position just three off the bottom, Cheltenham have chalked up impressive wins at Rochdale, Bury and Dagenham & Redbridge this season.[LNB] Midfielder Marvin Bartley is rated by Howe as still very doubtful due to a calf injury, while Anton Robinson (knee), Steve Fletcher (back) and Rhoys Wiggins (knee) are all hoping to shake off niggles.[LNB] An injury crisis in the youth ranks is likely to prevent Howe from bolstering his bench, with Jason Tindall again expected to be named among the substitutes.[LNB] Cherries: (from) Jalal, Bradbury, Pearce, Garry, Wiggins, McQuoid, Hollands, Robinson, Feeney, Pitman, Fletcher, Goulding, Connell, Tindall, Bartley, Thomas.[LNB] Robins: (from) Brown, Bird, Eastham, Townsend, Andrew, Gallinagh, Low, Labadie, Thornhill, Hammond, Richards, Ridley, Hutton, Lewis, Hayles, Alsop, Durrant, Puddy.[LNB]
