COMBATIVE Cherries star Carl Fletcher admits he is happy to sacrifice his goalscoring midfielder tag in favour of seeing his team-mates take all the glory.

Fletcher returns to the scene of one of his greatest personal triumphs when he lines up for Cherries against Division Two rivals Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow (3pm).

The 21-year-old scored twice for the first time in his career during Cherries' emphatic 3-0 win at Adams Park in the corresponding fixture last season in December.

Fletcher, a 25-1 outsider to hit the first goal in tomorrow's showdown, is still looking to break his duck this season after netting seven times during last season's campaign.

But in the absence of his midfield partner Richard Hughes, Fletcher has been asked to fill a deeper role this season and his chances have been few and far between.

He said: "I had a couple of chances at Brighton last month, but on the whole, I haven't had too many clear-cut scoring opportunties so far this season.

"The manager has asked me to play in a more withdrawn position just in front of the defence and although I am happy to play anywhere, I'm not getting forward as much.

"With Steve Fletcher and Richard Hughes both out injured, we have had to adopt a different system and trying to win games is more important than me scoring a goal.

"It would be nice to open my account at Wycombe because I always enjoy playing there and have fond memories of last season, but it doesn't matter who scores as long as we win.

"Competition among the midfielders for goals last season was fierce, but it looks like Wade Elliott and James Hayter are running away with it at the moment."

Fletcher added: "The worse thing is that Eddie (Howe) keeps reminding me he has already got off the mark this season and that is starting to bug me!"

Cherries, beaten once in six visits to Adams Park, will be looking to close the gap on the Chairboys who are four points and seven places above them in ninth spot in Division Two.

But player-coach Peter Grant said: "Sean (O'Driscoll) watched Wycombe at Notts County last week and said they played them off the park. We know they can play and they are one of the teams we have been most impressed with this season.

"But we are going into the game confident and if we play as well as we can then we will take what comes.

"We just need to maintain some consistency and nobody is getting too carried away because we have just won two games on the trot."

Wycombe boss Lawrie Sanchez, whose side are unbeaten at Adams Park this season, was among the crowd at the Avenue Stadium to see Cherries beat Wigan on Tuesday.

He said: "Bournemouth are our bogey side and if we make the mistake of falling below the standards we have set, they will rip us apart.

"We cannot afford to take them lightly and we won't. If we take just one point, I won't be unhappy."

Cherries are still expected to be without injured trio Shaun Maher, Warren Feeney and Stephen Purches, but Richard Hughes is back in the squad after a three-week absence.

Hughes, who has been troubled by a nagging hamstring problem, came through a brief 15-minute run-out for the reserves in midweek and could be on the substitute's bench.

However, Feeney and Maher are both expected to be sidelined for at least another fortnight, while Purches should return to training next week.

Cherries: (from) Stewart, Broadhurst, Howe, Tindall, Stock, Elliott, O'Connor, C Fletcher, Hayter, Holmes, Eribenne, Smith, Ford, Hughes, Narada, Huck, Mathie, Menetrier.

Wycombe: (from) Taylor, Senda, McCarthy, Rogers, Vinnicombe, Currie, Brown, Simpson, McSporran, Rammell, Walker, Cousins, Ryan, Emblen, Bulman, Holligan, Osborn.

* Cherries entertain Bristol Rovers in the Football League Under-17 Youth Alliance at Chapel Gate tomorrow (11am).