STEPHEN Purches believes Sam Surridge “ticks a lot of boxes as an AFC Bournemouth player” after watching the striker score twice for the under-21s at AFC Wimbledon yesterday.

Purches also revealed frontman Brandon Goodship had spoken with Yeovil regarding a potential move to the League Two club.

Surridge won and converted a penalty five minutes into the clash as a youthful Cherries team locked horns with a strong Wimbledon side.

And after goals from George Oakley and Toyosi Olusanya had turned the game on its head, Surridge applied the finishing touch to a wonderful team move to level the scores on 25 minutes.

The 18-year-old would have had a hat-trick six minutes later if his 25-yard free-kick had crossed the line after crashing down off the underside of the bar, rather than bouncing away from goal.

Purches told the Daily Echo: “Sam’s developing nicely, not only into a player we see as having a good future, but as an AFC Bournemouth player he ticks a lot of boxes.

“His work ethic and his attitude to the game were great. And that’s consistent. That’s not just one game. That’s him. And we want players around us who work hard and show that attitude.

“He just has to carry on doing what he’s doing. He always wants to improve and that’s the best thing about him.”

Cherries had a clutch of chances to win the game after half-time, most notably an Alex Dobre shot blocked on the line and a Surridge header into the side-netting from Kyle Taylor’s free-kick.

Purches admitted his team could have been “better in both boxes” but he gleaned immense pleasure from a beautifully-constructed second goal, which saw Shaun Hobson and Corey Jordan combine to release Keelan O’Connell, who crossed for Surridge to tap home.

He said “The second goal, as a team goal, and as an AFC Bournemouth goal, was especially pleasing. There’s nothing better than seeing the ball delivered and someone putting it in.”

On Goodship’s possible switch to Yeovil, where the forward made 10 appearances on loan last season, Purches added: “We’re waiting to see where that goes. There have been talks, so it’s just wanting to make sure everything goes right for the player.”

Cherries: Stedman, Jordan, Hobson, Buckley, Harfield (Boote, 61), O’Connell, Simpson, Taylor, Dobre (Ofoborh, 71), Ndjoli (Green, 61), Surridge.