Andoni Iraola hails AFC Bournemouth character to make another comeback

Only four times previously in the competition’s 32-year history had a team fought back from three goals behind to win, the last coming way back in 2003.

But Cherries got their name on that elite list, alongside Leeds United, Wimbledon, Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, with their thrilling 4-3 victory over Luton Town at Vitality Stadium on Wednesday night.

Goals from Dominic Solanke and Illia Zabarnyi reduced the arrears, before an Antoine Semenyo brace secured the points.

The win came just four days on from Iraola’s side battling back from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Sheffield United.

“I think the way especially these last two games went, where we started losing at home, probably it was easy to give up, to complain,” Iraola told the Daily Echo.

“I think the players showed a lot of character and in the end, we have seven points out of the last nine.

“I think they are very, very important points for us. They put us in a good position for the last 10 games.”

• Iraola hoping Semenyo returns from international duty with Ghana in same form

Asked if he has ever won a game from three goals behind before, the Spaniard recalled: “As a player yes, because you don’t forget these kind of things.

“Against Osasuna with Athletic Club, 4-3 (in January 2005).

“We were losing 3-0 at home and we won it. But as a manager, never – 2-0 to 3-2 yes, but never from 3-0 to 4-3."

He added: “I think it was important to have the precedent of the last game here.

“We scored two goals at the end and could have even won it. Why not do it again?

“It was even more difficult, because it was 3-0, but the key was to score early. I think Dom’s goal made us believe we are not so far now, we are going to push and we knew we were going to finish strong.

“Normally we finish the games strong. In the Luton games also, a lot of things happen at the end - they score and concede a lot of goals. You have to keep believing.”

Discussing his emotions when Semenyo blasted Cherries in front on 83 minutes, Iraola said: “I was thinking there is still a lot of time to play!

“A lot of times you think ‘okay, I’ve finished the comeback’, but then you lose it. You don’t want to lose something that has cost you so much.

“I think we could see it coming, because we were putting a lot of pressure on, we were arriving, we were finding the spaces.

"But we wanted to finish it, because the other day we did kind of a similar thing, but we couldn’t finish it and we didn’t finish with good feelings.”

He added: “It is something very difficult to be losing by three goals and then turn it around and finish with three points.

“Normally it doesn’t happen. There is a part where things have to go very bad in the first half and go much better in the second half.

“The key is to keep believing and the players did it.”