The senior players in the squad got more vital minutes under their belts, controlling the game, and being highly unfortunate not to have established a commanding lead by the break.
“I said when I signed that results don’t matter in pre-season, although I’m sure some supporters don’t look at it that way! They are irrelevant, because it’s 14 August that we get competitive. Saying that, we should have been at least three up at half time, but it was only the one. It did get a little reckless out there and it’s always going to be like that when we go to a non-league club because they want to impress. The majority of us got a good 45 minutes under our belts and we keep improving our fitness.”
Before the game, Steve Cook felt his back and was not risked for the game, and Miles was impressed by Simon Francis who put in a calm and collected display next to him.
“I had Simon Francis next to me for the first time in pre-season, and you can see how assured he is and I’ve no doubt he’ll be starting the first game of the season. Steve Cook was taken out of the game as a precaution, so Franno moved over. There was no point risking Steve if he wasn’t right, because the 14 August is the most important time.”
For Miles, he has been somewhat unsettled in the last year or so, having pre-season at Barnsley last season on loan from Derby, and then unable to re-establish himself in the Derby side. It was the loan move to Bournemouth that saw him excel again and he believes that the permanent move can reignite him.
“I do yes. I have to keep fit, that’s what I’m basing it on. The happiest time in my career for a long time was when I came to Bournemouth and it’s no coincidence that I stayed fit in that time. At Barnsley I was out for two months with an injury, which didn’t help and you fel you have to start all over again. I feel if I can stay for over the whole season then I will be able to achieve something at Bournemouth. We can now look forward to some games at home and James heas done a magnificent job on the pitch, and for the kind of football we want to play, it’s perfect. Hopefully it should be a good season and for me, promotion is key.”