O'Neil: "We will continue to be competitive"

Gary O’Neil suffered his first defeat as Bournemouth interim head coach thanks to an early Che Adams goal but said the team “will continue to be competitive”.

Adams' pinpoint header after nine minutes was the difference on the night and O’Neil revealed his frustration at the result as Southampton won 1-0 at Vitality Stadium to lift themselves out of the bottom three.

Speaking to the media after the game, O.Neil said: “Frustrated with the result, frustrated with the goal and pleased with large parts of the performance.”

The defeat at the hands of their south coast rivals ended the club’s six-game unbeaten run and inflicted the first defeat under O’Neil since he took temporary charge of the club at the end of August.

However, the defeat has done nothing to dent the confidence of the group with O’Neil remaining upbeat, despite the loss, and insisted there will be no change in his approach to games.

He continued: “ I've been asked already whether I think I will learn more about the boys now after this, and my resounding answer is no.I know exactly what they are going to give and can’t wait for Monday. The boys will do the same - we go again.

“They have given everything, stayed on the front foot, 1-0 down at home, it's tricky, they [Southampton] are organised, they gave absolutely everything, the fans stayed with them until the end because of that.

“The way the performance went, we could not have been anymore on the front foot and that sums up the whole seven games really. I judge them on that, they gave it all again and if we go and do the same we will continue to be competitive.”

Philip Billing came closest for the home side with a first half effort from just outside the box but was unable to find a way past Gavin Bazunu in the Southampton goal. The Cherries pushed on in the second half dominating possession but never really troubled Bazunu as Southampton dug deep and kept the Cherries at bay, but the Cherries boss didn’t believe his side deserved to lose the game.

He added: “We can lose games at this level, that is the way it is, so I mean, I fully understand that. As I have said many many times, I did not get carried away with the six [undefeated games] because fine margins decide games.

“Did we deserve to lose this one, no, we didn't, but we did so yeah we move on.”