BOSS Eddie Howe hailed Cherries’ patient but purposeful approach in securing victory over Huddersfield amid last night's deluge at Dean Court.

Record signing Tokelo Rantie stepped off the bench to snare the winner after Calum Woods had cancelled out Lewis Grabban’s 55th-minute penalty.

But despite a scoreless first half, Howe felt his side had tamed the Terriers during the opening exchanges and praised his players for sticking to their principles while the conditions deteriorated.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “I thought the weather definitely affected the game. We were dominant for the first half-an-hour then I thought the conditions ruined our control, purely for the fact that we couldn’t pass the ball as we would have liked to.

“We started the game on top and their goalkeeper (Alex Smithies) made one of the best saves I have seen in a long time from Elliott Ward’s half volley. I thought it had goal written all over it.

“That was a great save, the follow up was as well and he then made the save from Matt Ritchie and you start to think at that stage. When you are so on top and have not scored, you start to fear the worst.

“But the mentality of the players was very pleasing. It would have been easy after the Liverpool game to have taken out foot off the gas and been a bit flat but we were anything but. We worked incredibly hard again and we were really pleased with the win.”

Grabban rifled home the opener from 12 yards after Marc Pugh went down under the challenge of Tommy Smith following a slick exchange with Andrew Surman.

Cherries’ second came 18 minutes from time when Eunan O’Kane chose to thread in Rantie instead of taking on a 20-yard shot from the edge of the area with the decisions to pass particularly pleasing Howe.

“I’m always aware that we coach our players to try and make educated decisions around the box,” he added.

“If shooting is the best thing to do from 20 or 25 yards then shoot, if there’s a team-mate in a better position then pass. It is a very simple philosophy.”