Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Performance leaves Howe with mixed emotions
BOSS Eddie Howe admitted to Cherries' first-half failings but then praised the improved display that almost earned a point at stadium:mk. Cherries fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of MK Dons today after goals from Lewis Guy and Mathias Doumbe sealed the verdict. Guy struck after just six minutes as the Dean Court outfit struggled to find their feet early on. With Steve Fletcher called from the bench on the half-hour, Howe's men rallied and could have snatched a positive result after a far better second-half performance. Club captain Fletcher came closest to doing so when he saw a combination of Dons keeper David Martin and the crossbar somehow stop his header from finding the net. Marc Pugh was also denied by Martin and, as Cherries pressed for the elusive equaliser, Doumbe struck for the hosts late on. Howe said: The lads weren't happy with themselves at half-time. We hadn't performed, we sat back and MK Dons kept the ball really well and looked a decent side. We were disappointed with the goal we conceded so there were a number of things we weren't happy with. But as unhappy as we were in the first half, we were pleased in the second because we dominated the game. On another day, we'd have come away with something. We kept knocking on the door, we had a number of chances and their goalkeeper made a few good saves. You just thought we're going to put one of these away'. But, unfortunately, we got done on the counter attack. Howe had opted to hand a full debut to 18-year-old forward Danny Ings, but replaced the youth team graduate with Fletcher as Cherries struggled to get into the game. The Cherries chief added: It was very difficult and it was nothing on Danny. He deserved his chance because he has been excellent in training. He's looked a real threat and he will be a really good player for us. But I felt I had to change something. We were under the cosh and we needed an out-ball. Fletch came on and was excellent. There were some good second-half performances from the lads. I thought Marvin Bartley ran the midfield in the second half. There were a lot of positives to take and we need to regroup quickly because the games keep coming.