ANDREW Surman hailed Cherries’ “massive achievement” after they had sealed their spot in the top half of the Premier League with a 1-1 draw at Leicester.

Midfielder Surman, though, admitted to a sense of frustration that they had not capitalised on their first-half dominance to record a victory that would have seen them finish eighth.

Cherries swarmed all over their hosts following Junior Stanislas’s first-minute goal without being able to extend their advantage.

And after Leicester had belatedly gained a foothold in the contest, Jamie Vardy stabbed home an equaliser on 51 minutes to leave the visitors clinging on to their point.

Surman told the Daily Echo: “To finish ninth in our second season in the Premier League is a massive achievement.

“We all believed we could finish in the top half and we are probably a bit frustrated because we could have finished eighth.

“In the first half, I thought we played exceptionally well. We were good with the ball and threatened a lot but we did not finish off the game. We needed a second goal.

“But we defended resolutely and the lads showed great character to stay in the game after Leicester had improved.”

The match ebbed and flowed in its latter stages with both teams intent on finishing their respective campaigns on a high.

And while a few of Cherries’ rivals have stood accused of playing in their flip-flops during the season’s closing months, Surman explained there was never any danger of his side taking their foot off the pedal.

He said: “We had a bad run in January and February but came out of it really strongly.

“To be unbeaten in our last five games – having lost four of the final five last season – is testament to how far we have come.

“It was important to take momentum into the summer and into next season.

“Any players coming in will join a squad full of confidence on the back of this result so it was important to go out on a high.”

Surman started yesterday’s game just seven weeks after he injured a medial ligament in Cherries’ 0-0 draw at Southampton.

He could even have capped his return with a goal had his second-half free-kick not whistled inches wide of the post.

“When I spoke to the surgeon a few weeks ago, he told me that was my season done but I kept my head down and worked hard,” said Surman. “The fitness team worked round the clock to get me back and I was delighted to play.

“It has been a frustrating second half of the season for me. But it was great to see the lads winning. When I came back, I was joining a winning team, which was great.

“I tried to catch the keeper out with the free-kick because he probably thought Junior was going to take it. I wanted to wrong-foot him but, unfortunately, couldn’t get the direction.

“I think I’ll be off free-kicks from now on!”