CHERRIES boss Gary O’Neil was “pleased” with his new signings’ performances during the defeat to Brighton at the weekend.

O’Neil handed starts to January addition Antoine Semenyo and Hamed Traore at the Amex as Cherries were downed 1-0 by Kaoru Mitoma’s late header.

Semenyo played the full 90 minutes, the Ghanaian international coming close to opening his account around the 69th minute mark whilst one-on-one with Brighton keeper Roberto Sanchez.

Traore caught the eye before being replaced by Ryan Christie on 60 minutes, the Ivorian clearly tiring.

There was another debut handed out late on into the game, Matias Vina brought off the bench for his first taste of English football.

Asked for his thoughts on his new charges’ performances, O’Neil responded: “Yeah, I was (impressed with the new signings.)

“Thought Dango was excellent as well, and obviously there are other good performances in there from the boys that have been here longer.

“But yeah, I was pleased with the new lads, pleased with how they settled. There were some positives.”
O’Neil then went on to point how there were key players still sidelined with injury, believing that performances and results would improve when Cherries return to full strength.

Players currently out injured include talisman Dom Solanke, star attacker Marcus Tavernier, and captain Lloyd Kelly.

Despite six new signings in January, O’Neil was forced to name three members of Cherries’ development squad, with Ben Greenwood and Euan Pollock joined by Max Kinsey-Wellings,  young centre-back.

He continued: “We have still got three young lads on the bench at the minute.

“We have some injury issues, so I expect it to improve further from where it is.

“The only centre-backs that we have, are on the pitch. The only two we have.

“Dom (Solanke), Tav (Marcus Tavernier), Lloyd (Kelly) Jack Stephens, Lewis Cook.

“Lots of people that can still come in and add to what we already managed to produce a good performance with today.”