GOALSCORER Chris Mepham admits it was “really frustrating” that his first Cherries goal was not enough to clinch an opening-day victory.

The centre-back volleyed in just past the hour mark at Vitality Stadium to break the deadlock against Sheffield United, but the Blades hit back to earn a 1-1 draw through Billy Sharp’s late strike.

The equaliser arrived with just two minutes to play when the visitors found an extra man from a free-kick down the right with George Baldock’s low cross eventually bundled in by substitute Sharp.

Discussing the two strikes, Mepham told the Daily Echo: “Getting the goal in the second half I thought that could be enough to win us the game.

“Unfortunately they scored a goal that we could’ve easily prevented.

“We switched off from the free-kick and paid the consequences. It’s really frustrating not to get the three points.

“It wasn’t to be.”

He added: “There’s no good goal to concede but I think there’s some worse goals to concede than others.

“That was definitely one of them. A little slide ball down the line which we weren’t alert to and then a ball across goal which we didn’t deal with.

“We’ll analyse it and we’ll have to practice it because going forward we can’t concede goals like that.”

Mepham’s strike was just his second in senior football, with the other also coming against Sheffield United during an outing for Brentford in March 2018.

And the 21-year-old hopes that tally will rise sooner rather than later.

He said: “It was a really nice moment. It’s something that I need to contribute more – more goals and more chances, getting flick-ons in the opposition box.

“Luckily I found myself in the right place at the right time.

“I think it’s just a bit of a coincidence (both goals coming against the Blades). Hopefully I can start opening the scoring against other teams, but it is weird that both of my professional goals have come against them.”

Mepham added: “I think we controlled the game (on Saturday).

“I think we had a lot of the possession. I don’t think they caused us many problems at all.

“But we didn’t seem to do that much with the possession that we had.

“I don’t think we created enough chances. We lacked that final bit of spark in the final third.

“It was only in the second half that it opened up a little bit and we created some chances.

“But it still would’ve been a really good feeling coming away winning 1-0 and not playing our best.

“We definitely would’ve taken it in the scheme of things.”