STEVE Fletcher is convinced Cherries can be "a force to be reckoned with" this season - despite claiming the second division has the makings of being the "toughest" he has known.

Fletcher, now in his 11th season in Division Two, believes the in-flux of foreign im-ports in the Premier-ship has upped the quality in the third-flight.

But the veteran striker is adamant Sean O'Driscoll's troops are "more than capable" of holding their own after performing "exceptionally well" in their first four games.

Fletcher said: "Naturally everybody wants to see us get our first win on the board and in my opinion, we have deserved to have won three of our first four games. We have been playing well enough, but we haven't taken our chances and have leaked a couple of goals at bad times.

"I think we've played exceptionally well so far, certainly a lot better than we did last season. But the quality of this division is much higher than it has been in past years and if our first four games are anything to go by, I think it's going to be the toughest second division I will have played in.

"You've only got to look at the likes of Paul Furlong at QPR and Tommy Mooney at Swindon, who have both played in the Premiership. Port Vale and Barnsley also had one or two top-class players who would be playing in the first division if it wasn't for the foreign contingent.

"The draw against Swindon was probably the only fair result we have had because we haven't got what we deserved in the other games. But our performances have shown we're more than capable, we just need the rub of the green.

"Sean and Peter would be having kittens if we weren't playing well and not winning, but we are playing well so they are dumfounded as well. But we are playing well, creating chances and the confidence is still high. We've got two points and we think we should have had a minimum of seven.

"We don't want any hard luck stories and we know we must start turning these good performances into points soon, otherwise the chasing pack will get away.

"We haven't got the resources of most of the other clubs, but I believe we're as good as any other team in the league.

"I spoke to a couple of the QPR players after the game last week and they both said we had given them the hardest game they think they will have this season. It's okay people saying these things, but we've got to prove it and only results will do that."

Fletcher, 31, will be bidding to help Cherries get off the mark when they visit fellow newly-promoted Division Two rivals Wrexham on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

O'Driscoll's side will start the clash as long shots to triumph having won just once in 30 years at the Racecourse - when Fletcher netted in a 1-0 victory in December 1998.