WARREN Cummings insists Cherries will resist the temptation to use their crippling injury crisis as an excuse for any defeat.

Cummings was pressed into action as an emergency centre-back during Cherries’ 1-0 reverse at Shrewsbury on Saturday.

The Scotsman was handed his first start for five weeks after skipper Jason Pearce had been ruled out at the 11th hour due to a foot injury.

Winger Liam Feeney was also a late withdrawal due to a hamstring strain – forcing boss Eddie Howe to call up Jayden Stockley just hours before kick-off to give Cherries four substitutes.

Cummings told the Daily Echo: “I’ve been at this club a long time and have seen some injury crises since I’ve been here. But I’ve never known us as bare as we were on Saturday.

“But we’ve got to play with the hand we’ve been dealt. That’s the way it is and nobody is going to use it as an excuse. We’re not going to bleat about it.

“It is what it is and nobody is going to change the decisions that are being made above our heads so we’ve just got to get on with it.”

Cummings, who lost his place to Rhoys Wiggins after serving a three-match ban, turned in an assured display in an unfamiliar position as Cherries went down to Terry Dunfield’s second-half strike.

He added: “I thought we more than deserved something from the game. We had more chances and we dominated the first half.

“We’ve had an up and down past few months but the main thing was to put ourselves in a position near the top of the league when we knew one defeat was never going to kill us.

“This defeat isn’t going to kill us either and we’re in a fantastic position.”

Discussing his switch to centre-back, Cummings said: “It wasn’t completely foreign to me because I spent about 18 months playing there for Chelsea youth and reserves.

“I felt it went okay. Let’s just hope Jason Pearce is back next week though!”