CHARLIE Daniels netted a second-half penalty as Cherries brought down the curtain on a dismal campaign with victory over Preston North End today.

Daniels drilled home a 51st-minute spot kick to settle in Cherries’ favour another largely forgettable and lacklustre contest.

Referee Simon Hooper had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after Donal McDermott had been tripped by Preston’s Luke Clark.

Preston offered precious little in response as rival goalkeepers Shwan Jalal and Andreas Arestidou were otherwise rarely troubled.

Caretaker boss Paul Groves, who is expected to be appointed on a permanent basis, kept faith with an unchanged starting line-up.

Lyle Taylor made an explosive start when he raced through on goal in the opening seconds, only to blaze his shot from a tight angle high over the crossbar.

Shaun MacDonald’s goalbound effort was charged down by Lilywhites defender Max Ehmer before Marc Pugh curled a left-foot drive wide of the upright.

Preston responded when a Paul Coutts shot drifted past the post before another Pugh strike fizzed past the upright at the other end.

Pugh, who was presented with a host of player-of-the-year awards ahead of kick-off, forced Preston goalkeeper Arestidou to save at his near post after 36 minutes.

A dull and uninspiring opening period briefly came to life when Jalal pulled off a top-drawer save to turn a blistering shot from Ehmer round the post in added time.

Cherries made a bright start to the second half and Taylor was denied by a last-ditch block after creating space and taking aim five minutes after the break.

And after the loose ball had rolled to McDermott, the Irishman was tripped by Clark, with referee Hooper pointing to the spot.

Daniels stepped forward and despatched a powerful left-foot strike past the despairing dive of Arestidou to give Cherries the lead from the resultant penalty.

A huge roar greeted the arrival of Steve Fletcher as a 61st-minute substitute, the striker coming on for Taylor, while Josh Wakefield replaced McDermott.

And Fletcher came close to adding to Cherries’ lead when he just failed to connect with a cross from Wes Thomas just minutes after entering the fold.

Cherries: Jalal, Francis, Addison, Zubar, Daniels, Pugh, Cooper, MacDonald, McDermott (Wakefield, 61), Thomas, Taylor (Fletcher, 61).

Unused subs: Gregory, Malone, Flahavan (g/k).

Booked: Cooper.

Lilywhites: Arestidou, Hunt, Morgan, Ehmer, Wright, Mayor, Coutts, Clark (Holroyd, 58), Hayhurst (Robertson, 36), J Proctor (Nicholson, 70), Cummins.

Unused subs: Gray, A Proctor.

Booked: Morgan, Hunt, Robertson.

Referee: Simon Hooper.

Attendance: 6,267 (including 651 away supporters).