U21s shine against Cherries.
The U’s have progressed through to the next round of the U21s Premier League Cup, beating AFC Bournemouth 3-0.
Tom Lapslie guided a header home late in the first half to give the U’s a 1-0 lead at the break, before Dion Sembie-Ferris and Macauley Bonne added two more in the second period.
The game started with the visitors on the front foot, and they almost scored with a first minute corner routine.
It made its way to Muleba but Dillon Barnes was alert enough to tip the low shot round the post for another corner, which resulted in Arter shooting over the bar.
Barnes prevented the U’s going behind a couple of minutes later again, this time tipping a long range shot over the top.
The U’s reacted well to the early Cherries pressure and hit the woodwork on eight minutes, Dion Sembie-Ferris almost catching the keeper out at his near post.
Jack Curtis then shot over and as the young U’s really started to find their feet, Drey Wright had a shot saved by Jordan Holmes.
Bournemouth then hit the post themselves, with Surridge running through after a defensive mix-up – he really should have done better with just Barnes to beat.
Halfway through the half, and with the U’s now taking control, Sammie Szmodics had a shot deflected and Wright missed the target with a curling effort from twenty yards out.
Macauley Bonne was next to take aim, but his lobbed effort beat the crossbar as well as the visiting keeper.
Bonne then turned provider, heading down a forward ball for Szmodics to run forward and narrowly shoot wide from the edge of the box.
There was a let off for the U’s as the half hour approached, with Kermorgant mis-kicking right in front of goal after a left wing break from the Cherries.
Jack Curtis then hit the woodwork for the U’s, leaving the keeper rooted to the spot as his long range effort clipped the angle of post and crossbar.
The U’s were eventually rewarded for their attacking intent on thirty eight minutes, as Sembie-Ferris’ cross was deftly flicked home by the head of Tom Lapslie.
Less than a minute later, the U’s midfielder almost doubled the lead but shot just wide of the visitors’ far post.
The second half began in the same vein, with the U’s pushing forward at every opportunity and creating chances once more.
Wright had a shot blocked and then produced a great cross for Bonne, who headed wide when well placed just outside the six yard box.
A third U’s chance came with less than ten minutes on the second half clock and Wright was again the instigator.
He broke down the left hand side and cleverly pulled the ball back for Curtis, who correctly elected to shoot first time but pulled his shot wide of the near post.
It was all U’s at this stage and Curtis had a shot saved before Sembie-Ferris got the second goal that the U’s play fully merited.
He picked the ball up out wide on the right, moved it to the side of the full back and rifled his shot into the top corner, giving Holmes no chance.
The goal came on fifty six minutes and it took the wind out of the visitors’ sails, with the U’s comfortably maintaining possession and keeping Bournemouth at arms’ length.
Michael O’Donoghue continued his comeback from serious injury, with twenty four minutes of action after coming on for Marley Andrews.
Szmodics and Bonne both had shots saved, before the visitors hit the woodwork for the second occasion.
Andrade went on a mazy run down the left, cut inside before hitting a shot that was deflected onto the crossbar, with the rebound flying over to safety.
With twelve minutes remaining, the U’s made it three with a well worked goal that saw Szmodics get in the channel and put a first time cross into the box.
Bonne had got the march on his defender and slid the ball home at the far post before crashing into the upright himself.
He didn’t suffer anything serious though and a minute later had a shot from twenty yards out tipped past the post.
Jamie Harney seemed to catch his knee and had to be replaced by Chris Regis on eighty two minutes and Louis Dunne quickly followed Regis onto the pitch, coming on for Drey Wright.
There were no further chances in the final five minutes and the couple of added minutes the referee allowed and the U’s go through to the next round.