CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe saw Ryan Allsop and Eunan O’Kane hit the comeback trail and described the pair as “two big players to welcome back”.

Goalkeeper Allsop and midfielder O’Kane lined up in Cherries’ 1-0 win at Dorchester tonight after both returning from pre-season injury layoffs.

The pair had not featured in Cherries’ warm-up campaign since playing in the opening 45 minutes of the 2-0 defeat by FC Zurich during the club’s training camp in Switzerland.

And with Cherries’ casualty list having lengthened considerably over the past few weeks, their respective returns have given Howe’s options a timely boost.

Allsop and O’Kane were joined in a youthful Cherries squad at the Avenue Stadium by first-teamers Donal McDermott and one-time Dorchester loanee Jayden Stockley.

Cherries’ starting line-up also included three trialists – Elliott Legg, a right-back formerly with Hayes & Yeading, Michael Kamau, a defender who had been on the Fulham Academy, and Immanuel Parry, also a defender, once with Stoke.

Allsop, who was handed the Cherries captaincy, was pressed into action early on, the goalkeeper diving to his right to save comfortably from Ben Watson.

McDermott and Stockley both had shots blocked before Watson surged into the 18-yard box, only to fire wide with the goal at his mercy.

Allsop got down to his left to snaffle Jamie Beasley’s shot from the edge of the box, while Charlie Clough’s header failed to trouble the Cherries stopper.

Aristide Bassele lifted a chance over the crossbar following neat link play between McDermott and Stockley before Harry Cornick created an opening, only to drag his shot wide.

Stockley, who could again be a loan target for Woking after Cards’ assistant boss Steve Thompson chose to take in the game, also fired off target after finding space on the left-hand side of the box.

Jordan Chiedozie, on as a half-time substitute, latched on to a defence-splitting pass from McDermott but could only find the side netting from a tight angle after rounding Magpies goalkeeper Tim Sandercombe.

But Chiedozie made no mistake just seconds later when he broke the deadlock with a composed right-foot finish after jinking past a couple of defenders.

Allsop was seriously tested for the first time after 57 minutes, the goalkeeper pulling off a smart save to keep out and clutch a stinging drive from Jake Smeeton. O’Kane made way after 59 minutes, the midfielder replaced by youth team prospect Jake McCarthy, while ex-Cherries star Warren Cummings made a guest appearance from the bench.

A combination of Allsop and Baily Cargill prevented Andy Masson levelling for the hosts midway through the second half, the goalkeeper saving at his feet before the young defender cleared the loose ball off the line.

  • Cherries: Allsop, Legg (Kirkwood, 80), Kamau (Cummings, 59), Parry, Cargill, Wakefield, McDermott (Jones, 74), O’Kane (McCarthy, 59), Stockley (Chiedozie, h-t), Bassele, Cornick (Goodship, h-t).
  • Cherries have added another friendly to their schedule and will send a team to Conference new boys Salisbury on Wednesday (7.30pm kick-off). Former Dean Court favourite Warren Feeney has just been appointed player-assistant manager at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium.