CHERRIES will be hoping Chris Mepham has not joined the club's lengthy list of absentees after the defender was substituted last night.

The centre-back started in the heart of the Wales defence for an international friendly against Belarus in Cardiff.

But he was withdrawn on 77 minutes due to an injury concern and replaced by Charlton Athletic's Tom Lockyer.

Wales went on to win the game 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal from Manchester United's Daniel James. Mepham's Cherries team-mate Harry Wilson played 89 minutes of the win.

The pair also started in Wales's Euro 2020 qualifying victory over Azerbaijan on Friday.

Mepham, 21, has been a key figure for Cherries so far this season, playing the full 90 minutes in four of their five fixtures, scoring once.

Cherries are already missing Simon Francis, Charlie Daniels, Lloyd Kelly, Dan Gosling, Matt Butcher, Arnaut Danjuma, Lewis Cook, Junior Stanislas and David Brooks due to injury.

Cherries host Everton Sunday (2pm).