BOSS Eddie Howe’s half-term report on his table-topping Cherries squad reads: “We’ve done well, but we can do better.”

A record-breaking start to the season has seen Howe’s men soar to the summit of League Two following nine victories in their opening 13 games.

The impressive sequence has been underpinned by a solid rearguard action which sees Cherries currently boast the best defensive record in the division.

“The signs have been really positive so far,” said Howe. “But we can do better and that’s the message we try to put across to the players all the time.

“We’re striving to improve everything about our performances because, regardless of where you are in the league, that’s all you can do. We analyse every performance knowing there are certain things we can do better and are striving to do that.

“One of the biggest positives for the players is how they have approached games and training. You are going to have good and bad spells throughout the season.

“You would like to win every game but it isn’t going to happen. You learn when you win and when you lose. Things are going in the right direction at the moment.”

Cherries will be hoping to maintain the momentum when they host struggling and managerless Grimsby Town tomorrow (3pm).

The second-from-bottom Mariners arrive at Dean Court on the back of four successive league defeats, a run which led to Mike Newell’s sacking last weekend.

Despite Grimsby’s plight, Howe knows Cherries can take nothing for granted, particularly in view of their indifferent first-half showing when their perfect home record bit the dust against Chesterfield.

“Regardless of what’s happening at Grimsby, we’ve just got to look after ourselves,” added Howe. “We will be looking to see how they may set up and which personnel they may use but, in terms of the managerial situation, that’s nothing to do with us.

“I think it’s fair to say that when there is a change of manager, you usually get a positive reaction and I’m sure they will be looking for that.

“We’ve got to make sure we do our bit and approach the game in the right manner as we try to get back to winning ways at home. We’re just looking to put on a good performance and, hopefully, get a positive result.

“If we don’t perform, Grimsby are very capable of winning. It’s up to us to make sure we perform and learn the lessons from Chesterfield. We made a slow start and couldn’t claw it back.

“Grimsby have got some good players and plenty with experience at this level. They proved that last season when, similar to us, they went on a decent run and stayed up.

“It’s going to be a really tough test. Nobody is going to come here to roll over and we need to be fully prepared for another tough game.”

Cherries: (from) Jalal, Bradbury, Pearce, Garry, Cummings, Feeney, Hollands, Robinson, Molesley, Pitman, Fletcher, Bartley, Edgar, Connell, McQuoid, Goulding, Thomas.

Mariners: (from) Colgan, Bore, Linwood, Heywood, Wood, Forbes, Sweeney, Mendy, Shahin, Akpa Akpro, Magennis, Boshell, Normington, Leary, North, Jones, Clarke, Overton.