SKIPPER Alan Manning says Bournemouth should aim for at least a top-eight finish.

Hit heavily by a player exodus following relegation from National Two South last season, Lions are currently 10th in National Three South West.

Crispin Cormack’s men are a single point behind eighth-placed Oxford Harlequins, who in turn are 14 points adrift of Old Centralians.

Bournemouth have won only twice since October but they did gain a morale-boosting victory over second-placed Exmouth last weekend.

And Manning feels Lions must finish as high up the standings as possible in order to stand the club in good stead for 2015-16.

He told the Daily Echo: “We always said this was going to be a rebuilding season as we lost so many players at the end of last year.

“The table is split in two and while it’s not the best target, we want to be at the top of that second bunch. It’s not impossible that we could finish higher but we will play that by ear.

“We don’t want to be anywhere lower and that would mean we would have a good base for next season.”

Bournemouth are due to travel to Barnstaple tomorrow (2.30pm) as they go in search of their second away win of the campaign.

Manning added: “It’s quite a hostile place but we will see what we can do. We’re not too great on the road at the moment so we have to try and change that.”