FIT-AGAIN skipper Steve Fletcher has set his sights on a December 1 first team return after coming through Cherries' reserve game at Cheltenham unscathed.

The 29-year-old striker played 55 minutes of the second string's 0-0 draw in the Avon Insurance Combination at Whaddon Road on Wednesday.

And the Dean Court captain says he felt no reaction to the knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the opening 12 weeks of the season.

Fletcher said: "The original plan was to play for the first half and come off after that, but I didn't feel any reaction to the injury so I thought I'd see how it felt after I had rested it.

"To be honest the first 10 minutes of the second half were probably the best I played and I could have gone on a bit longer.

"But I didn't want to risk playing 70 or 80 minutes because it's when you get tired that you can get injured."

Fletcher had not played any competitive football since injuring his knee during Cherries pre-season friendly with Bristol Rover in July.

He had hoped to be fit for the Division Two side's FA Cup first round clash with UniBond League Worksop Town on Saturday.

But the Dean Court club's longest serving player now hopes to be back in contention for a place on the substitutes' bench for the visit of Tranmere.

Fletcher said: "It felt a little weird at first because I hadn't played a competitive match since the last day of last season.

"It took me about 15 minutes to warm up, but once I got going it felt really good and I was heading and holding the ball up like normal.

"I knew not to do anything stupid, but I was determined to concentrate on playing my normal game.

"I said to Peter Grant before the game that I wouldn't pull out of 50-50 tackles because that is the way you get hurt.

"Obviously I was aware of the knee, but I didn't let that affect the way I played and once I had got into the game I put the injury at the back of my mind."

Fletcher started up-front alongside Chukki Eribenne and Tresor Kandol as Cherries reserves were held 0-0 by Division Three Cheltenham.

Meanwhile manager Sean O'Driscoll confirmed he was "confident" of securing the services of loan striker Derek Holmes for an additional month.

The Ross County frontman's second month- long spell with the Dean Court club ran out after Cherries' 3-0 win over Wrexham on Saturday.

And O'Driscoll is keen to negotiate with the Scottish outfit that Holmes can stay on the south coast for one more month at the least despite competition from Hartlepool, who would like to sign Holmes as well.

Cherries striker Warren Feeney was on target as Northern Ireland secured a 2-1 friendly win over Macclesfield Town.