AFCB will battle right to the end

I was impressed with the calm face that Eddie put on when speaking with to the media following the Cardiff game. He had every reason to be angry and yet refrained from losing site of the positives and the objectives for his team this season. The league is not won or lost in one match and a positive attitude is something that the Cherries need to take into the Middlesbrough match.

Eddie is keeping positive.

Eddie is very good at setting the tone for the supporters and how he wants the team and the club to be portrayed. We don't want to be seen as moaners and the key factor that he is well aware of is that AFCB played well for most of the match against Cardiff. At this stage of the season it is very difficult to keep scoring lots of goals and winning matches and at the midweek half time scores most of them were draws and were low scoring. Games are getting tight and the stakes are getting higher - none more so than AFCB's game against Middlesbrough.

AFCB players are going to be competitive to the end.

Eddie has always said that he just needs the team to stay in contention. That is the primary goal at this stage of the season. He won't want to see AFCB fall away any further and every point takes the Cherries closer to the minimal objective that we all now want of at least a play-off place. If that turns out to be where AFCB finish then I won't be thinking what if we had got this decision or that decision. You deal with the cards you are given and as Eddie Howe says when things don't go your way, "that's football". I don't think the players could try any harder than they have been this season and we just have to give them all the support we can to see if we can push them on to more success. 

For all these reasons I don't want to get too nervous about playing Middlesbrough or Ipswich.They are simply opportunities to get another three points in some top of the table clashes I keep telling myself. Yes, they are probably more like six pointers but isn't it fun to be involved in these games rather than looking on from a far and wondering what it is like to be chasing the dream. UTCIAD!

AFCB v Middlesbrough has sold out - but there are two spare tickets still to be won!
If you want to come to the game but don't have a ticket you had better come back and have a look on Cherry Chimes this afternoon, when I hope to be able to make an announcement about two special SKYBet tickets to the AFCB v Middlesbrough game. You'll only hear about it on Cherry Chimes!

Don't forget to send your AFCB v Boro score predictions into @peterbell19 on twitter.

I also suggest you ware something Scottish on Saturdayin tribute to Matt Ritchie's first Scottish call up. Oche Aye the Noo!