SEAN O'Driscoll claims he has lost the best left-back in League One for the rest of the season as he ponders whether to plunge into the loan market again.

Warren Cummings suffered a double-break of his leg in Saturday's classy 3-0 win at Swindon to leave Cherries without a recognised left-sided defender for the remainder of the season.

But the Cherries boss has revealed he already has "irons in the fire" as he weighs up whether to bring in a replacement ahead of tonight's League One clash with Blackpool (Dean Court - 7.45pm kick-off.)

With just three fully-fit defenders currently at the club, O'Driscoll is "optimistic" he can borrow another player to combat his injury crisis.

He said: "Of course it is a big blow to lose Warren but we have to carry on.

"There are one or two irons in the fire about possibly bringing somebody in but it is short notice, so whether it will be possible before the Blackpool game, I'm not sure.

"There were a few frantic phonecalls on Sunday night but it was difficult to reach anybody and at this stage of the season, there are not many clubs who want to let good players go. But we're optimistic."

O'Driscoll is confident Cummings will have recovered in time for the new season in August but conceded he will be a big loss to the squad for the rest of this term.

He said: "I anticipate Warren being back in time for the start of next season. They are clean breaks and there are no complications so he should be about ready to return to pre-season training without too many problems.

"But if he is not the best left-back in League One, I would like to see somebody who is better.

"Warren Cummings and Garreth O'Connor give us a great balance down that left side, he has terrific enthusiasm and is great in the dressing room so he will be a big miss."

O'Driscoll now faces the prospect of rushing Neil Young back into first-team action ahead of schedule from his recent hernia surgery or asking either Wade Elliott or perhaps Marcus Browning to fill in at right-back with James O'Connor expected to move to left-back.

O'Driscoll said: "We are flexible and can change systems. James O'Connor has proved extremely versatile - he has played right-back, centre-back and now left-back for the last 25 minutes at Swindon.

"It is an option for him to switch over and then play Wade at right-back. He has done that in the past for us and there is an outside chance that Neil will be used. Alternatively, we can go with three at the back."

The Cherries boss is cautious about rushing a decision on a replacement suggesting he may choose to wait until some of his injured players are back to fitness.

He said: "It is just about getting the right player at the right time. You have to weigh up whether it is worth doing it quickly or waiting to see how the rest of the injured players, like Stephen Purches, Eddie Howe and Neil get on with coming back to training."

But if he does decide on another loan signing, O'Driscoll is confident that the club's pioneering Playershare scheme will be able to come up with the funds once again.

He said: "I would imagine there would be funds available - they have never let me down yet.

"They will obviously have heard about Warren's injury and I'm sure they are doing their bit.

"We have also lost Derek Holmes off the wage bill so you'd like to think there would be a possibility of getting someone in."