CHERRIES manager Sean O'Driscoll is today hoping to extend the loan spells of Jermaine Defoe and Warren Cummings, the Daily Echo can exclusively reveal.

O'Driscoll spoke to both players about signing new agreements yesterday and is now waiting for their respective clubs to rubber-stamp the deals.

West Ham's former Cherries boss Harry Redknapp has already agreed to allow Defoe to stay at Dean Court, while O'Driscoll is hoping to finalise negotiations with Chelsea over Cummings this morning.

It is expected that both players will initially sign for another month, although O'Driscoll has not ruled out the possibility of keeping them until the end of the season.

And if O'Driscoll can tie up long-term loan deals, he will also ask West Ham and Chelsea to free the players for Cherries' FA Cup first round clash against Swansea a week tomorrow.

O'Driscoll said: "Jermaine and Warren have both said they would like to stay and we have said all along that we would like to keep them for as long as possible.

"Warren returned to London to speak to Chelsea on Wednesday and told me the vibes he got were that they would be happy for him to extend his stay."

He added:"I am waiting for Ray Wilkins to get back to me and after I have spoken to him, hopefully everything will be sorted out.

"Harry Redknapp has said we can keep Jermaine, but again we need to finalise exactly how long they are prepared to let us have him for.

"Harry has said we can definitely have him for another month, but if we can keep him until the end of the season it would give us a big boost."

Defoe has netted twice in two games since joining Cherries on a month's loan a fortnight ago and is already being hailed as the new Ian Wright at Upton Park.

The 18-year-old striker opened the scoring in Cherries' 2-1 win over Peterborough six days ago before Cummings, 20, grabbed a late winner from a deflected free kick.

Cherries will be looking to build on their recent victory when they visit Division Two surprise packages Northampton Town tomorrow (3pm kick-off).

Cobblers, who gained automatic promotion last season, are sixth and have one of the best home defensive records in the division.

O'Driscoll looks set to name an unchanged squad for the trip to the Sixfields Stadium and is hoping defender Steve Purches shakes off a foot injury. Midfielder Jamie Day striker Chukki Eri-benne and player-coach Peter Grant are all still struggling, but defender Karl Broadhurst came through the reserves' 4-1 defeat at Norwich City and could feature.

Cherries: (from) Stewart, Purches, Cummings, Tindall, Howe, Elliott, C Fletcher, R Hughes, Jorgensen, S Fletcher, Defoe, Hayter, Huck, Smith, Stock, Broadhurst, Ford, Narada, O'Connor, Menetrier.

Cobblers: (from) Welch, Sped-ding, Sampson, Hope, G Hughes, Hargreaves, Hunt, Savage, Hodge, Gabbiadini, Forrester, Dryden, Thompson, Wilson, Morrow, Gould, Sollitt.

The draw for the Football League Trophy has been put back. It is likely to be made on November 18 instead of tomorrow.