CHERRIES boss Sean O'Driscoll has been overlooked for the Nationwide League Division Two manager of the month award for November despite guiding Cherries to three straight wins.

O'Driscoll had been in the running for the accolade due to the recent upturn in Cherries' form, which has seen them move out of the relegation zone and book their place in the FA Cup second round.

The Cherries' resurgence also included their first two back-to-back league wins for 20 months, as they beat Peterborough 4-1 at Dean Court and Northampton Town 3-0 at Sixfields.

However, after careful consideration, the Football League judging panel decided to bestow the November honour on Wigan Athletic's Bruce Rioch.

Wigan currently lie third in the division and have won three and drawn two of their league and cup matches since the end of October. The Latics, who dumped Dr Martens League Premier Division Dorchester Town out of the FA Cup 12 days ago, recorded impressive wins against leaders Millwall and eighth-placed Bristol City.

If O'Driscoll had been named manager of the month, it would have been the first time a Cherries boss had picked up the award since Mel Machin in December 1998.

A run of six consecutive victories over the festive period saw Cherries rise from 11th to fifth in the table that season.

But Cherries could not sustain their form going into the New Year and Wigan beat them to the final Division Two play-off place on the last day of the 1998-1999 campaign.

A Football League spokesman said: "The judges felt AFC Bournemouth had not played sufficient games in November to merit them having an outstanding month."