Eddie Howe: Crystal Palace draw "very difficult to take"

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe has admitted that Crystal Palace's late equaliser in Saturday afternoon's Premier League clash was "a sickener" as his side were left to wait for their first win of the season.

The Cherries led through a well-taken Joshua King strike in the first half and, after seeing Yohan Cabaye's penalty saved prior to the interval, looked good value to hold out for all three points.

Scott Dann popped up in the final minute to rescue the hosts a 1-1 draw, however, which Howe suggests was down to his side sitting back a little too much under Palace's second-half pressure.

"It's very difficult to take," he told the club's official website. "When you think you're so close to the first win, a valuable three points, it's a sickener. We are desperate for that first win.

"It was a real game of two halves for us. I thought we were excellent first half but it was backs against the wall in the second. Then the late goal is a difficult one to swallow."

Bournemouth have one point from their opening three games of the season, having lost to Manchester United and West Ham United prior to this weekend's draw in South London.