ELLIOTT Ward is hoping to help Cherries enjoy a prosperous festive campaign after hitting the comeback trail earlier than anticipated.

Ward was a surprise starter and partnered skipper Tommy Elphick in central defence during Cherries’ 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

The 28-year-old had been expected to be sidelined with a calf problem until early next month but was drafted in as a replacement for Steve Cook, who was ruled out by a hamstring injury.

Ward said: “I knew if we played the right way, I would get through the game and we did. In terms of fitness and my calf, it is a little tight but that is to be expected. I hadn’t played 90 minutes for five weeks.

"I will not get too excited. I got through this game but it is about recovery, as it is for everyone else. It was a well-deserved win but it probably should have been a bit easier for us.

"If we had seen out the second half a little better, it could have been a bit easier. We got two goals and could have got a couple more in the second half even when we didn’t play such good football.

“But they are struggling and we knew what we had to do to make sure they were kept out. We had to keep their heads down and give them a mountain to climb.”