TASKMASTER Lee Bradbury warned Cherries’ stars there were no guarantees over starting spots and challenged them to earn their places.

The Cherries manager is demanding that his players put in the hard yards during pre-season as they battle for the chance to feature in his preferred League One line-up.

Bradbury has plenty of numbers at his disposal and enjoyed the luxury of fielding different teams for each half of Tuesday’s opening friendly at Hamworthy Recreation.

His men declared their intent to shine by coasting to a 10-0 victory and they will get another chance to impress this evening against Poole Town at Tatnam (7.45pm).

Bradbury is expecting Cherries to continue pulling out all the stops.

He said: “I want competition for places throughout and I think it is healthy.

“I want the lads to work day in, day out to earn the shirt. I don’t want anybody resting on their laurels, thinking that they are going to be playing every week.

“I want them all to have to earn it and I think they showed in Tuesday’s game that that is the case.

“I said to them before we went away that when they came back it would be a clean slate and they needed to earn their shirts again, and to make sure they were starting come August 6.

“I think they showed a good attitude towards that on Tuesday.”

The Cherries boss is happy with how his players are shaping up after returning from the close-season break in good condition.

He said: “They have come back flying and I am really pleased with how they have looked after themselves over the summer.

“We have only been back a week and they are in good shape already.

“We have put in quite a lot of planning for the pre-season training and it seems to be working so far.”

Looking ahead to tonight’s friendly, Bradbury added: “They always give us a great game down at Poole and they are very competitive.

“They have got some good players and it is always very close. On a big pitch, the lads will have to be on top of their form to get a good result out of that game.”

Poole Town striker Tom Jeffes, who works in the commercial department at AFC Bournemouth, will line up against his employers.

Dolphins fans could get a first look at new signings Scott Joyce and Tom Price following summer moves from Wimborne Town and AFC Totton respectively.

Former Cherries winger Carl Preston is also set to face his former club, having last season caught the eye of Exeter City and Reading, where he went on trial.