Bournemouth

Purches agrees new Cherries deal
Stephen Purches is the latest player to agree a new contract at Bournemouth. The 25-year-old defender has followed Dani Rodrigues in agreeing a new one-year deal at Dean Court after he turned down a return to Portugal. Defender Shaun Maher will sign his new one-year contract when he returns from holiday while Jason Tindall will prove his fitness with a short-term deal. With Purches agreeing a new deal, striker Alan Connell is the Cherries' only unresolved contract issue.

Swaisland quits Dean Court board
Former Bournemouth chairman Tony Swaisland has resigned as a club director for family and health reasons. Current Cherries chairman Peter Phillips told the club's website: "Tony took over as chairman at a key point in the club's development. "His vital role in turning the dreams of a new stadium into reality will give him a permanent place in our history." Swaisland, who was chairman between 2001 and 2002, also had a spell as chairman of Brentford in the 1990s.

Cooke glad to be at Bournemouth
Stephen Cooke is glad to have finally put pen to paper on the two-year deal at Bournemouth he agreed last month. The 22-year-old midfielder joins from Aston Villa - after two previous loan spells at Dean Court in 2002 and 2004. "It's great to be back - as soon as I knew Bournemouth were in for me, I was interested," he told the club website. "They play the game the right way, I know most of the lads from my two previous spells, and I can't wait to get into pre-season training."

Poole Town 1-3 Bournemouth
Striker James Hayter hit a hat-trick as Bournemouth began their pre-season campaign with a fairly comfortable win at Wessex League side Poole Town. Hayter's goals all came in the first half, and Poole netted after the break. Cherries boss Sean O'Driscoll was able to give a run-out to his first-team squad, including new signing Stephen Cooke - as well as several trialists. However, out-of-contract striker Alan Connell - the subject of a possible move to Torquay - did not feature.

Striker completes Torquay switch
Torquay have signed Bournemouth striker Alan Connell for an undisclosed fee. The 22-year-old was out of contract with the Cherries and turned down the offer of a new 12-month deal. Connell told Bournemouth's website: "I have enjoyed three fantastic years at the club. This is a career move and I feel it is right for me at this time." The former Ipswich trainee has struggled to get into the Cherries side but is expected to be a first team regular at Torquay.

Ex-Dons boss handed Cherries role
Former Milton Keynes Dons manager Stuart Murdoch has joined Bournemouth as their part-time goalkeeping coach. Murdoch was the Dons' keeper coach before taking over as manager between April 2002 and November 2004, in which time they moved away from Wimbledon. He will spend two days each week working with the Cherries goalkeepers. Murdoch replaces former Reading stopper Phil Whitehead, who had held the post for two seasons but has left to take a full-time job outside the game.

Bournemouth 2-5 Charlton
Charlton stepped up their preparations for the new Premiership season with a comprehensive victory at Bournemouth. The Addicks led 2-1 at half-time in a testimonial for Cherries' Neil Young, with Darren Ambrose and Francis Jeffers sandwiching James Hayter's penalty. Steve Foley headed in an equaliser for the hosts early on after the interval but their joy was short-lived. Jeffers, Darren Bent and Matt Holland all found the net as the Addicks showed their class at Dean Court. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bournemouth: First half: Stewart, Young, Gowling, Howe, Foley, Purches, Browning, Stock, O'Connor, Spicer, Hayter. Second half: Moss, Young (Gowling 65), Maher, Howe (N Hudson 68), O'Connor (Jermy 76), Cooke, Coutts, Hughes, Foley (White 62), Rodrigues (Pitman 86), Fletcher (K Hudson 84). Goals: Hayter pen 24, Foley 47. Charlton: First half: Kiely, Young, Spector, Fortune, Powell, Rommedahl, Holland, Murphy, Ambrose, Jeffers, Bent. Second half: Kiely, Kishishev, Spector (Perry 52), Fortune, Young, Sam (Youga 77), Holland, Murphy (Euell 62), Hughes, Jeffers (Johansson 52), Bent (Thomas 62). Sub not used: Andersen. Goals: Ambrose 22, Jeffers 26, 49, Bent 54, Holland 84. Att: 3,097. Referee: T Kettle (Berkshire).

Holland cheered by new recruits
Matt Holland feels Charlton's seven new signings will help them improve on a disappointing season which saw them only finish 11th in the Premiership. "They're fitting in very well," the Addicks captain told BBC Sport. "This time last year we were struggling to get new players in - it wasn't until the week before the season that Danny Murphy and Franny Jeffers arrived. "We'd really like to finish in the top half this time, and we've got a good squad that's capable of challenging." Boss Alan Curbishley has snapped up two of Holland's former Ipswich team-mates - Darren Ambrose and Darren Bent - as well as recruiting defenders Chris Powell, back for a second spell, and Kelly Youga. Arriving at The Valley on season-long loans are Alexei Smertin, Jonathan Spector and Gonzalo Sorondo. Ambrose, Bent, Powell, Youga and Spector all featured as Charlton cruised to a 5-2 win at Holland's old club Bournemouth in a testimonial for Addicks defender Luke Young's brother Neil. CHARLTON'S NEW SIGNINGS Alexei Smertin (Chelsea, season-long loan) Gonzalo Sorondo (Inter Milan, season-long loan) Chris Powell (West Ham, free transfer) Jonathan Spector (Man Utd, season-long loan) Darren Ambrose (Newcastle, undisclosed fee) Kelly Youga (Lyon, free transfer) Darren Bent (Ipswich, £3m) "Darren Ambrose and Darren Bent were both on the scoresheet, so that was pleasing, but all the new players have come in and done well," affirmed Holland, who was also on target at Dean Court with a trademark 20-yard drive. "And Chris Powell's a good, experienced head. The manager's brought in a lot of young players this summer, so you need the experienced players as well, and he'll help the younger players get through the season. "It's good that we've got them in now, as we can bed them in." The 31-year-old midfielder is determined to help Curbishley's side shake off their recent, unwanted habit of fading away in the spring just when they looked set to challenge for what would be a first ever European campaign. He admitted: "Last season was disappointing, as we slipped out of the top half of the table towards the end, which was frustrating. "The Premiership gets harder and harder, as lots of clubs have brought in some very good players - and it gets tougher for the teams coming up to stay up. "There's a big gulf between the top four or five sides and the rest, so everyone else is fighting for sixth or seventh place. "If you can get up into the European places, which some of the other teams around us have managed to do, it would be a big bonus - but I think top half of the table is what we're aiming for. "We probably lacked a bit of depth last season, and towards the end of the season when we wanted to change things around, we weren't able to do it. "Last season we played a lot of 4-5-1 which took us a long way - against Bournemouth we played 4-4-2 which I think probably suits us better, so it's all about testing things out at the moment. "I didn't expect to play the full 90 minutes, but it was probably what I needed at this stage of the season." The Republic of Ireland international was also quick to praise the efforts of the south coast club he served between 1995 and 1997, and captained through a traumatic spell in receivership. "Every time I've seen Bournemouth I've been impressed with the way they play football, so to be honest that probably suited us better than going to a team that doesn't play football," Holland added. "The pitch was very good, which also helps - we played reasonably well, although Bournemouth gave a good account of themselves too. "For long periods they kept the ball, but maybe they didn't pose a threat up front where we did. "It was an exciting experience for me to come back to Bournemouth, as I had many fond memories there and my father-in-law's still involved with the club. "I spent two-and-a-half really good years there and the supporters were always very good to me, so it was nice to get a little round of applause at the end."

Cherries boss keen on loan deals
Bournemouth manager Sean O'Driscoll says he will look to recruit players on loan to bolster his squad. O'Driscoll told BBC Radio Solent: "The loan market is what interests us more than anything else. "The Premiership boys have only been back for a week, so it's a bit early to get anyone from the likes of Pompey. "We don't want to leave it to the last minute to get someone on loan but that's what usually happens at Bournemouth as that's all we can do."

O'Driscoll fears Purches setback
Bournemouth manager Sean O'Driscoll is waiting for news on utility man Stephen Purches, who was stretchered off in Friday's 1-1 draw with Southampton. "He's hurt the medial ligament in his knee - we're just hoping there is no cartilage damage as well, but we won't know for 48 hours," O'Driscoll said. "They are usually six weeks if it's a tear, but he may have just strained it. "We've done well to get through as many games as we have without any injuries, so we're disappointed." The injury to Purches is a blow for O'Driscoll, who is already lacking left-back Warren Cummings who broke his leg in March and is not expected to return before October.

Bournemouth look at ex-Pompey man
Former Portsmouth defender Shaun Cooper, who was released in May, has joined Bournemouth on trial. The 21-year-old lined up in the first half for the Cherries on Monday as they drew 1-1 in a pre-season friendly at Conference South newcomers Eastleigh. Cooper, who came through the youth ranks at Fratton Park, started three games for Pompey but had loan spells at Leyton Orient and Kidderminster. He could face his former employers on Wednesday when Bournemouth host Pompey. However, Cherries utility man Stephen Purches has learned that he will definitely miss the start of the season after a scan on his knee injury confirmed he had torn medial ligaments.

Bournemouth 0-3 Portsmouth
New signings Azar Karadas and Laurent Robert were among the goals as Portsmouth beat Bournemouth in a south-coast derby. Karadas made the breakthrough, turning in a terrific cross from Ivica Mornar. And French winger Robert, who has joined from Newcastle, added a second soon afterwards with a fine strike. Arjan De Zeeuw put Pompey 3-0 up in the closing stages as Alain Perrin's men clinched a decent win after a good work-out in Dorset.

O'Kelly shock at Coutts red card
Bournemouth assistant boss Richard O'Kelly was shocked to see midfielder James Coutts sent off in the reserves' 3-1 victory over Bristol Rovers. "I didn't see the sending-off, but if he has caught someone with his elbow it would be completely out of character," O'Kelly told the Cherries' website. "He hasn't got a vicious bone in his body and if he has done something, it can only be out of sheer enthusiasm. "James said the lad was pulling him and he just tried to shake him off." Coutts, 18, who had scored the Cherries' second goal, has been on the bench for all three first team games this season but is now facing a possible three-match suspension. O'Kelly added: "I thought James was the star man. His movement off the ball and the endeavour he showed to everybody else was first class. "The attitude and work rate is exactly what we were after, and there were players out there who feel they could well be in then first team."

Torquay 0-0 Bournemouth
(After extra-time, Bournemouth win 4-3 on penalties) Bournemouth scraped into the second round of the Carling Cup, winning a dramatic penalty shoot-out 4-3 after the game finished had goalless. Cherries keeper Gareth Stewart was the hero, diving full-length to save Matt Hewlett's spot-kick to clinch victory. Only a series of good saves by Gulls keeper Andy Marriott had kept Torquay in the match until the penalties. But Torquay should have won it late in extra-time when Leon Constantine failed to capitalise on an open goal.

Cherries are boosted by loan pair
Bournemouth have been boosted after versatile left-sided player Steven Foley joined on loan from Aston Villa until 31 December. Foley, 19, played as a trialist in Cherries star Neil Young's testimonial during pre-season - and scored. Boss Sean O'Driscoll has also extended 19-year-old Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman's loan until 31 December. "Drew is a good player, who can get even better over the coming months," manager Sean O'Driscoll said. "We are very pleased to have him, and our thanks go to Harry Redknapp and Southampton for agreeing to the loan." Cherries chairman Peter Phillips hailed the efforts of the fan-run Playershare scheme - and director Abdul Jaffer - for making the extension to Surman's move possible, after he impressed in his first month at Dean Court. "Abdul has been marvellous - he has launched a one-man fundraising campaign for Playershare over the past few days," Phillips said. "I would like to thank everybody who has contributed."

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