Chris Mepham has won the Michael Matthews Player-of-the-Month award for March following one of the closest voting contests of the season.
Defender Mepham, a January signing from Brentford, pipped teammate Joshua King by just three per cent of the vote.
The Wales international received 31 per cent of supporters’ votes on the club’s Twitter poll, while striker King registered 28 per cent.
Nathan Ake, who won the February award, was third with 24 per cent and Ryan Fraser, a double winner this season, was fourth with 17 per cent.
Mepham played every minute of the Cherries’ four games in March and continued to catch the eye after stepping up from the Championship just 10 weeks ago.
The 21-year-old played a starring role at the back against Manchester City’s much-vaunted and free-scoring frontline as Pep Guardiola’s team triumphed 1-0 at Vitality Stadium at the start of the month.
Mepham also made valuable contributions in the 2-0 win at Huddersfield and the 2-2 draw with Newcastle, with runner-up King named sponsors’ man of the match against the Toon Army.
Mepham scoops his first monthly award this season with previous winners being Fraser (August and September), David Brooks (October, December and January), Jefferson Lerma (November) and Ake (March).
Congratulations, Chris!
