DEFENDER Tommy Elphick is calling for focus and a fast start as Cherries look to emulate their away-day success at Dean Court over Christmas.

While Eddie Howe’s men have emerged victorious from back-to-back road trips at Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, Cherries have lost three of their past four home games, failing to find the net in each defeat.

But the skipper, who has started the past six matches since returning a month ago, reckons Cherries are close to finding a solution to their dearth of points on Dorset soil ahead of the Boxing Day clash with struggling Yeovil Town (3pm).

Elphick told the Daily Echo: “This is a dangerous league with big clubs and big players but when you look at the goals we have conceded recently, they have come from nothing.

“We can learn from what we have been doing away and the match against Birmingham was a good example.

“When you go behind at home, teams camp out and hit you with the formula we have used against teams away from home.

“We were disappointed to start so slowly and we have to be stronger, more streetwise and show that bit of nous we have lacked during some home matches.

“If we can be a little bit cuter and start with a quicker tempo, I think the positive results will come because the performances have been pretty good overall.”

Elphick is expected to continue at the heart of Cherries’ defence alongside Elliott Ward who returned following a calf injury to feature in the 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.