JIMMY Quinn's reign as Cherries manager started with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Notts County in an entertaining affair at Meadow Lane today.

Quinn would have been delighted to see Cherries come from behind to salvage a share of the spoils, with both goals coming in the opening 19 minutes.

Firstly, journeyman striker Jamie Forrester fired the Magpies into a 12th-minute lead when he netted with aplomb, his clinical far post volley giving Shwan Jalal no chance.

But Brett Pitman put the finishing touches to a sweeping move as Cherries fashioned a deserved equaliser just seven minutes later.

As expected, Quinn kept faith with the same starting line-up following Cherries' impressive midweek victory over Bristol Rovers in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Their reward for a 3-0 win is a trip to holders MK Dons, with today's draw sending Cherries to the League One outfit during the week commencing Monday, October 6.

Cherries survived an early scare when Richard Butcher shot tamely into the arms of Shwan Jalal following an exchange of passes with Forrester inside the third minute.

And the hosts also escaped when Pitman's weak effort straight at Magpies goalkeeper Russell Hoult failed to do justice following his excellent one-two with Jeff Goulding.

County opened the scoring when Forrester finished superbly with a right-foot volley into the bottom corner after being picked out by Jay Smith's pinpoint cross to the far post.

But Cherries soon restored parity with a goal from Pitman - which came following a Brazil-like sequence of passes from one end of the pitch to the other.

Started deep inside their own half by Darren Anderton and Shaun Cooper, the ball eventually found its way to Jason Pearce who hooked it through to Pitman just over the halfway line.

The striker controlled neatly before pinging a pass to Goulding who then laid the ball into the path of Sammy Igoe.

And after Igoe's first-time ball had sent Scott Wagstaff scampering down the right flank, Pitman arrived at the far post to turn home the Charlton loan man's driven cross.

Cherries were thankful to Jalal for keeping the score at 1-1 when his top-drawer save from Myles Weston's rising drive prevented County from regaining the lead.

Both sides had flimsy penalty shouts turned down by referee Scott Mathieson, Goulding claiming he was pulled back by Mike Edwards as he tried to shoot and Matt Hamshaw appealing for a spot kick after his cross had struck Warren Cummings on the arm.

The official, lenient for much of the opening period, finally showed a yellow card to Paul Mayo after the County defender had clattered Wagstaff for the third time.

On the stroke of half-time, Hoult had to be at his best to paw Danny Hollands's fizzing low drive around the post, while the goalkeeper also saved well after Lee Bradbury had met Anderton's free kick with a fierce volley nine minutes into the second half.

Wagstaff, the victim of several robust tackles, felt the full force of a reckless late challenge from Smith that earned the County midfielder the second booking of the match with Cummings soon following for a body-check on Hamshaw.

Jalal pulled off a stunning save to deny Edwards from point-blank range after the defender had ghosted in to meet Hamshaw's free kick before Anderton was forced to clear off the line from a Butcher header.

Wagstaff became the fourth name in the referee's notebook when he was booked for taking a tumble under a challenge from Mayo before Bradbury made it five for hauling back Smith and Johnson six for scything down Josh McQuoid.

In the closing stages, Jalal got down well to smother a left-foot drive from the hard-running Forrester before Wagstaff almost snatched a dramatic late winner with the last kick of the match.

Cherries (4-4-2): Jalal; Bradbury, Cooper, Pearce, Cummings; Wagstaff, Igoe (Bartley, 84), Anderton, Hollands; Goulding (McQuoid, 59), Pitman.

Unused subs: Ward, Sappleton, Pryce (g/k).

Booked: Cummings, Wagstaff, Bradbury.

Notts County (4-4-2): Hoult; Beardsley, Edwards, Johnson (Tann, 85), Mayo; Hamshaw, Butcher, Smith, Weston; Forrester, Facey.

Unused subs: MacKenzie, Canham, Fairclough, Pilkington, (g/k).

Booked: Mayo, Smith, Johnson.

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Stockport).

Attendance: 4,362 (including 318 away supporters).