STRIKER Dani Rodrigues took his first steps on the comeback trail during Cherries' friendly at Dorchester Town on Tuesday.
Rodrigues returned to action after spending three weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury and was given a 45-minute run-out against the Magpies at the Avenue Stadium.
The Portuguese turned in a lively second-half display and will be hoping to be in contention for a recall for Cherries' League One clash against Oldham on Saturday.
But he will face stiff competition for a place in Sean O'Driscoll's squad after fellow strikers Derek Holmes and Alan Connell were both on target during Cherries' 2-0 win.
Holmes and Connell, who have both been used from the bench in recent weeks, staked their claims by netting opportunist goals in the space of 13 first-half minutes.
Boss O'Driscoll fielded every member of his first-team squad with the exception of Brian Stock, who was rested due to a minor back problem, and John Spicer, who was excused due to a bereavement.
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