CHERRIES boss Kevin Bond is hoping for a case of once bitten, twice shy' as he bids to avoid a repeat of the lowest point of his brief managerial career.

Bond was smarting after seeing Cherries follow up one of their best displays of last season - victory over Nottingham Forest - with arguably their worst - defeat by Port Vale.

Goals from Matthew Connolly and Brett Pitman earned Cherries a memorable 2-0 win over Forest as Bond registered his first league win as a manager in early December.

But disaster struck when the Valiants condemned Cherries to a thumping 4-0 defeat at Dean Court as Bond's charges went from heroes to zeros in the space of just four days.

And with Cherries' unforgettable triumph at Doncaster still fresh in the memory - and Vale, coincidentally, the visitors to Dean Court tomorrow - Bond is looking for a marked improvement.

"We'd had a really difficult start and couldn't buy a win so the result and performance against Forest was tremendous," recalls Bond.

"But it was certainly a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show against Port Vale and I remember it only too well. We went 2-0 down very early on and gave ourselves absolutely no chance.

"Everybody was on a high after the Forest win and it was a stark reminder of how quickly things can change. It brought us back down to earth in a big way."

Bond added: "It's just a coincidence that we're playing Port Vale again after such a good away performance and result at Doncaster.

"It's never far away from your mind that these things can happen. You do get beaten sometimes and sometimes you get beaten badly on the back of a good result.

"It's not always because of complacency, it's just the way it happens. I'm always trying to guard against it and am very mindful of it all the time.

"All the euphoria of an excellent away win will count for nothing if we don't perform well against Port Vale and I'm always acutely aware of that and make the players aware of it as well.

"There has been no easing up as regards the players' training schedule this week and they will be made aware exactly what is expected of them."