CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe reflected on the positives after his brave 10-man team had suffered a 2-1 defeat at Leeds last night.

Dominic Poleon volleyed the winner in the 80th minute after Cherries striker Lewis Grabban had cancelled out Ross McCormack’s second-half opener.

Cherries had looked set to claim an impressive point at Elland Road despite seeing goalkeeper Ryan Allsop sent off in the 31st minute.

Allsop was deemed to have brought down Leeds striker Noel Hunt in the penalty area and was shown a straight red card by referee David Coote, with replacement keeper Darryl Flahavan saving McCormack’s subsequent penalty.

Howe said: “I have only seen a replay of the penalty decision once and that was at match speed, so it was a difficult one. I feared the worst when I saw the challenge. I think Ryan got a different version of it, but it was difficult. The referee had to make a split-second decision.

“But we scored a great goal through Lewis Grabban and it was a shame we couldn’t hold on.

“But there were some real positives from us. The performances of Darryl Flahavan and Andrew Surman, with very little game-time, and Jack Collison on his debut, I thought there were some real positives.”