JOSHUA King described as “strange” Cherries’ 5-3 defeat at Crystal Palace and admitted: “I felt like I was in a ping pong game.”

King netted the Dorset club’s third to reduce to one the deficit in the second half at Selhurst Park before Andros Townsend restored the Eagles two-goal advantage.

Defeat left Cherries 14th at the end of their fourth season in the Premier League.

Frontman King told afcbtv: “I felt like I was in a ping pong game to be honest. It was forward and back, back and forth for most of the first half and second half.

“I don’t think we performed like we should first half.

“Second half was a lot better but you shouldn’t come away from home in the Premier League scoring three goals and manage to lose a game.

“That is what we need to be better at as a team next season – defending as a team from the front, strikers, defenders, midfielders because we are always going to score goals.

The Norway international, who scored 12 league goals this season, added: “All in all it was a strange game. I think the neutral and the Palace fans enjoyed it more than the Bournemouth fans did.”