Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Fletcher insists 'upbeat' Cherries remain confident
CLUB captain Steve Fletcher urged his Cherries team-mates to put it right after their promotion hopes suffered a setback yesterday.[LNB] The veteran targetman set his sights on an immediate return to form in the wake of the 2-1 loss against Bury at Dean Court.[LNB] The reverse was the club's second in a row on home soil in 2010 following the forgettable 2-0 defeat against Northampton on January 2.[LNB] First-half goals from Stephen Dawson and David Worrall put the visitors in the driving seat before Brett Pitman hit an injury-time consolation for Eddie Howe's promotion hopefuls.[LNB] However, despite their disappointing opening to the year, Cherries remain well-placed in League Two, seven points clear of the play-off zone.[LNB] And Fletcher, who was appointed to the figurehead role of club captain in a new year shake-up, insisted that confidence was still in plentiful supply in the Cherries dressing room.[LNB] The 37-year-old, who came off the bench to set up Pitman's goal, told the Echo: You're going to have phases like this during a season and it's about how you react.[LNB] It's how you respond and if our character is anything to go by we'll respond in the right way, that's for sure.[LNB] I keep saying it but we've got a fantastic bunch of lads who won't let this get to them.[LNB] We're all disappointed and we go home with our tails between our legs, of course we do.[LNB] But then we start again tomorrow. We've got three away games in a row and we've got to put it right. It's as simple as that.[LNB] We're not the type of team that is going to go home and not address the situation.[LNB] We're an upbeat team. We believe in each other, we've got confidence and the manager has got confidence in us.[LNB] Fletcher felt there were positives to be taken from Cherries' performance, despite the result.[LNB] He added: I thought it was two teams that really went for it and played some good attractive football.[LNB] I think if you were a neutral at the game you'd have enjoyed it.[LNB] But 95 per cent of the people here were Bournemouth fans and they all went home disappointed because we were beaten and understandably so.[LNB] I don't think it was for the lack of effort and the lack of trying. We played some good football at times but the two goals killed us.[LNB]
