AFC Bournemouth’s development squad were knocked out of the Hampshire Senior Cup after a 1-0 defeat to Farnborough at the Rushmoor Community Stadium.

Paul Hodges’ second-half strike was the difference in freezing conditions as the hosts progressed to the last eight of the competition. 

Late chances came the way of both Euan Pollock and Ben Greenwood, who ended the night with the armband, but the Cherries couldn’t find a way through a resolute Farnborough defence.

Shaun Cooper fielded a relatively experienced team, the likes of Zeno Ibsen Rossi and Christian Saydee, both of whom made their first team debuts this season, featuring in the starting line up.

Elsewhere, under-18s forward Marcus Daws was handed a start, with five of his Youth Team counterparts making up the spots on the bench.  

Farnborough started brightly and looked to take advantage of some dangerous balls into the box from Reggie Young, Saydee clearing his early corner, before Jack Seddon hooked away a loose ball six yards out.  

Cameron Plain was soon called into action in the Cherries goal, Michael Elias-Fernandes with a low deflected shot testing the youngster for the first time. 

Up the other end of the pitch, Brooklyn Genesini was the architect as he picked out Pollock, the striker’s energetic run brought to a halt due to a raised offside flag.

As Cooper’s side grew into the game, they soon had the ball in the back of the net, Daws reacting quickest to a rebound from Saydee’s shot, only to be denied after the linesman once again had his say.  

The hosts soon responded to the spell of Cherries pressure with a good team move that saw Young find Hodges, the number ten getting to the by-line and looking to pick out fellow forward David Pratt. It was Genesini to the rescue as he poked his foot in front in the nick of time.

Just before the interval, the development squad got themselves in some good areas and almost took the lead through left-back Greenwood, who cut inside and looked to find the corner, but Jack Turner in the Farnborough goal was very much equal to the shot.

After the break, it was Farnborough who again started quickly, Harry Cooksley and Hodges both firing over from outside the area. 

It was then Hodges who set up Pratt, his effort from 18 yards being comfortably held by Plain, before Owen Bevan, Ferdinand Okoh and Noa Boutin all entered the field of play immediately after the attack. 

Before long, Farnborough’s persistence paid off and they soon broke the deadlock at the Rushmoor Community Stadium. A loose ball in the box fell to frontman Hodges, who had been lively all evening, and the shot was thumped home from just outside the six-yard box.

The visitors looked for a response and it was almost immediate. Pollock received it in space on the right and saw his shot cleared off the line by Yellows captain Jordan Rose, after Turner’s hand wasn’t strong enough to divert the danger.

Greenwood then looked to get in on the act, beating his man and pulling the trigger from 30 yards, only to be denied by the body of the home ‘keeper, who didn’t know much about it as it made its way through a sea of bodies.

As time ticked away, Cooper’s side continued the hunt for that elusive equaliser, Pollock again being denied by Turner, who this time saved with outside of his boot. Boutin’s follow up was subsequently cleared.

With the Cherries throwing bodies forward, Farnborough went close to doubling their lead as Seddon lost the ball in his own half. Elias-Fernandes was on the case and drove at goal, but a strong fist from Plain allowed Genesini to recover and clear moments before the whistle. 

Cherries XI: Plain, Genesini, Ibsen Rossi (Bevan 60), Seddon, Greenwood, Gidaree (Okoh 60), Wadham, Roberts, Daws, Saydee (Boutin 60), Pollock.

Unused subs: Camis, Adu-Adjei.

Booked: N/A

Farnborough XI: Turner, Paget, Medford-Smith, Whiting, Rose, Owens, Elias-Fernandes, Cooksley (Butler 73), Pratt (Saied 63), Hodges (Emmanuel 69), Young.

Unused subs: Oyenuga. 

Booked: Whiting

Referee: Nick Hucker

Attendance: 335