DANI Rodrigues safely negotiated Cherries' reserve team draw with Cheltenham on his comeback from a hamstring injury.

The Portuguese striker was subsituted, as planned beforehand, for Sean Hogan after half an hour of the lively contest to ensure his recovery was not rushed.

Rodrigues told the Daily Echo: "Everything felt fine. There was no pain from the injury and once the game had started, I forgot about it.

"I should be available for Saturday, if the manager wants to use me, and I will be back in full training this week."

Cherries fielded Neil Young and Garreth O'Connor, who had both trained in the morning, for the first half with James Coutts and James Rowe playing the full 90 minutes.

Also in action was 22-year-old trialist Mark Briggs, who was invited to play by assistant boss Richard O'Kelly.

Briggs, now at AFC Telford United, knows O'Kelly from their time together at West Bromwich Albion and produced a decent display in the centre of midfield.

Gareth Stewart was in fine form in goal with a breathtaking triple save after just 13 minutes as he flung himself to deny Cheltenham's Adam Connolly twice and Graham Fyfe from opening the scoring.

Stewart was required again as he made a brave block minutes later from Connolly and produced a good tip over in the second half.

He was powerless, however, when Connolly made the breakthrough midway through the second half as he drilled home an unstoppable shot into the top corner from just inside the area. Bournemouth hit back through Brett Pitman in his first outing for the reserves as he slotted home nine minutes from time.

The 16-year-old Channel Islander was spotted by Cherries scouts on a recent tour to Jersey and has already impressed for the under-18 side this season. After being picked out by Coutts, Pitman cut inside his man to confidently beat Scott Brown at his near post and seal the reserves' first point of the new season.

Cherries: Stewart, Young (Hubbard, h-t), Whisken, Briggs, Sutton, Rowe, Coutts, O'Connor (Cannon, h-t), Moss, Rodrigues (Hogan, 32), Pitman. Unused sub: Burden.