Young U's beaten by Bournemouth
United’s development side were beaten by a last minute goal this afternoon as AFC Bournemouth beat them 3-2 in a friendly. First half goals from Josh Ashby and Callum O’Dowda put the U’s 2-1 up at the break but a second half revival gave The Cherries a win.
The U’s took the lead in the seventh minute when Ashby rifled an unstoppable free kick into the top corner from the edge of the box. However they only held the lead for two minutes before a deflected shot from the left flew past the wrong-footed Max Crocombe to make it 1-1.
United had a number of chances to regain the lead; Josh Shama twice headed wide when well placed, Aidan Hawtin forced a save with a low shot and Josh Ruffels thumped a header against the post. At the other end Michael Raynes and Jon Meades were impressive alongside two trialists with the defence restricting Bournemouth to very few sights of Crocombe’s goal.
It was no surprise to see the Yellows back in front just before the break when the lively Sam Humphreys beat three men on the left and crossed for O’Dowda, whose first touch created space and second was a well-struck low shot to make it 2-1 at the break.
The second half saw another Shama header well saved and Meades have a goal ruled out for offside while O’Dowda poked another effort narrowly wide on the hour. Bournemouth wasted their best chance when their right winger burst clear but blazed over the bar as Crocombe closed him down, with Shama then copying that finish at the other end after Humphreys had caused problems for the Cherries once more.
It was an increasingly open game and on 73 it was 2-2 as a ball from the right was neatly side-footed home by the unmarked Bournemouth centre-forward.
United pressed for a winner but were caught on the counter attack and despite a good save by Crocombe from the initial shot a Bournemouth striker followed up to smash home the winner from a tight angle in the last minute of the game.
United
Crocombe, Trialist, Trialist, Raynes, Meades (Jones 81), Ruffels, Ashby, Hawtin, Humphreys, Shama, O’Dowda