BOSS Eddie Howe has challenged Cherries to extend their unbeaten run to the end of March and throw wide open the race for the Championship play-offs.

The Dean Court side have taken 10 points out of 12 from contests against Doncaster, Blackpool, Blackburn and Middlesbrough and Howe reckons a similar return from the remainder of this month’s fixtures will put his team in a useful position.

Cherries will move to within eight points of the top six if they secure victory at struggling Charlton tonight and Howe believes his squad should not lack motivation to secure three points.

He told the Daily Echo: “It’s a huge incentive for us to go into this game and give it our all to win it.

“With so many fixtures to come and so many points available, we can still achieve despite the draw on Saturday (against Middlesbrough). The gap is so small to the teams above us.

“With a consistent run, we could still make it (the top six).

“At this stage of the season when there are so many points to play for, why not?

“It’s about getting our own players to believe how close it is and getting them to see we’re not far away.

“We’ve been on a really good run with 10 points out of 12. A similar run to that in the next four fixtures and we won’t be far away.”

Striker Yann Kermorgant (heel) is rated 50-50 to feature against his former club, having departed the Valley in the January transfer window.

Charlton will be without long-standing knee injury victim Chris Solly while fellow defender Leon Cort (knee) has an outside chance of returning to the fold.

The Addicks yesterday signed striker Jon Obika on loan from Tottenham until the end of the season.