EDDIE Howe has welcomed Cherries’ goalscoring hot streak – but dismissed suggestions the squad can do without another striker.

Cherries have notched 11 goals in their past three league games, leaving some supporters to question the need to replace Brett Pitman.

But Howe, who has Steve Fletcher and Steve Lovell on the injury list, said: “Michael Symes and Josh McQuoid were both injured on Saturday and we would have liked another option from the bench.

“Strength in depth is important in any position and, at the moment, we are a little short in the striker department. We don’t want to blood people in league games before they are ready because that would be slightly unfair on them.

“I’ve said it all along and I do think we need a striker, if not to come in and start but definitely to push from the bench. We’ve got some highly-rated young players who we’ve brought in and are trying to develop. But in the pressure cooker of a league environment, they need to play when they are ready.”