RISING stars Josh McQuoid and Billy Franks gave Joe Roach a brief welcome respite during an anxious Easter weekend for Cherries' unsung youth team boss.

The latest products of the club's fruitful youth set-up both made impressive debuts as Cherries recorded a memorable 2-1 win over League One high-fliers Tranmere yesterday.

Roach rushed back from a bedside vigil in a Birmingham hospital to lend his support to his scholars at Dean Court after his daughter had been taken seriously ill over the weekend.

Lymington's McQuoid and Sussex-based Franks both played their part in the victory before they were replaced by fellow youth teamers Matt Finlay from Ringwood and Joe Partington from Fareham.

Cherries boss Kevin Bond paid tribute to the work of Roach and his department when he said: "Joe and his staff have played a major part in a number of players having their debuts since I've been here and that is a great credit to them. They do a fantastic job.

"With respect, all the good youngsters trundle off up the road to Southampton to what they perceive to be a bigger and better club. But the education, both on and off the field, they receive here is no better than they get there. They have helped develop players who might not have had a shout of getting apprenticeships at other clubs."

Cherries were given a dream start when Tranmere skipper Ian Goodison put through his own net after just 33 seconds before Jo Kuffour doubled their lead in the 34th minute.

Bond, whose squad was ravaged by injury and unavailability, added: "In all my years in football, I don't think I've had many more wins that were more rewarding or, in some ways, more surprising. It was nothing short of an heroic performance by the lads.

"We got off to a great start, which was just what we needed. Although they put us under pressure late on, which made for an edgy last five or 10 minutes, it was a magnificent all-round performance.

"Our defenders defended excellently throughout and everybody did their jobs. When we got the ball, we managed to keep it and we had by far the better of the chances."

Asked about McQuoid and Franks's debuts, Bond said: "I thought they were excellent, probably better than they could have ever expected, I would imagine. They stood up to a difficult situation and both came out of the game with an awful lot of credit."

Victory saw Cherries reduce the gap between them and safety to 12 points. However, asked if a miracle could be on the cards, Bond replied: "It's probably unlikely.

"Once we went into administration, we knew it was really an impossible task. But to the players' credit, I don't think anyone watching today would have thought we had been docked points and been adversely affected by what has gone on because the lads were tremendous."