With injuries to Harry Arter and Andrew Surman, Eunan O'Kane was handed the opportunity of his first start since picking up a knock against Huddersfield Town last month.
Speaking in the Bournemouth Evening Echo, the 23-year-old is quoted as saying: "It was nice to get my first Championship start. I have been so unfortunate with injuries. Then, when I was fit, Harry and Shaun were doing a really good job and I couldn’t get in. Unfortunately for Harry, he had a little bit of a knock and Drew is also out, so I got my chance. Hopefully, I did enough on Saturday for the gaffer to be a little bit impressed with me and, hopefully, he will be thinking 'Eunan can do the job at this level'. I had injuries and at the start of the season, I wasn’t quite ready. The gaffer had to go with the best team he had at that given time and I knew Harry and Shaun was the partnership that he had to go with. After doing my ankle at Huddersfield, I thought I was never going to be ready or have the opportunity. Thankfully, it came on Saturday and it is nice to say I have played in the Championship, even though we lost".