Dom Sadi’s finely-taken free-kick proved in vain as AFC Bournemouth exited the Servio Hampshire Men’s Senior Cup after going down 3-1 against AFC Totton on Monday.

Sadi’s superb 25-yard strike which came 19 minutes from time gave the Cherries a glimmer of hope after the Stags had taken a 3-0 lead in this semi-final at Snows Stadium.

But it was not to be for Alan Connell’s team, beaten in last season’s final by Basingstoke, with Southern Premier League Totton duelling with either AFC Portchester or Southampton for the trophy.

The Stags reached the break leading 2-0 thanks to goals from Juan Luque, on loan from Worthing, and veteran striker Scott Rendell.

Luque, who started his career in the youth ranks at his hometown club Barcelona, opened the scoring emphatically in the 15^th minute.

And Rendell, 37, who scored for Torquay against a Cherries team including Connell in 2009, doubled their lead with a clinical finish in the 34^th minute.

Although Luke Hallett added a third for the Stags in the 56th minute, Sadi threw the Cherries a lifeline when he netted a superb free-kick from 25 yards 19 minutes from time. 

Karlos Gregory lifted his shot high over the crossbar after fastening on to a cross from Finn Tonks as the Cherries created the first chance following a cat and mouse opening 13 minutes.

The Stags drew first blood when Luque fired home from close range after being picked out by Ethan Taylor’s neat cutback in the 15^th minute.

Callan McKenna made a fine save to prevent the hosts from doubling their lead, the Cherries goalkeeper sticking out his left leg to divert Taylor’s shot away for a corner.

Charlie Kennedy’s fierce drive flashed past the post with the aid of a deflection before Balraj Landa failed to make good contact with cross from Charlie Osborne.

Totton goalkeeper Tommy Reid, on loan to the Stags from Premier League Brighton, dived full length to his left to paw away Dom Sadi’s piledriver in the 29^th minute.

A well-worked move by the Cherries started by Sadi’s neat skill ended with Jonny Stuttle poking the ball narrowly past the post after trading pass with Landa.

The hosts made it 2-0 after 34 minutes when much-travelled striker Rendell finished low past McKenna after being teed up by Benny Read.

Totton were forced into a change on the stroke of half-time when defender Jordan Ragguette sustained a nasty injury after landing awkwardly.

An important block by Archie Harris thwarted Rendell as he looked to add a third goal in first-half stoppage time.

McKenna stuck out his right boot to turn Luque’s low drive around the post early in the second half, the Stags extending their lead from the resultant corner.

Luque’s delivery into the mix led to a frantic goalmouth scramble with Luke Hallett eventually forcing the ball home from close range.

Sadi reduced the arrears with a finely-executed free-kick, the midfielder arrowing a left-foot shot into the bottom corner after 71 minutes.

AFC Totton: Reid, Read (Pelham, h/t), Ragguette (Tomasso, 45), Kennedy, Hallett, Rendell (Lee, 61), E Taylor, Burrows (Akers, 82), Luque (L Taylor, 72), Magri, Bennett.

AFC Bournemouth: McKenna, Tonks, Osborne (Johnson, 64), Brown, Kinsey, Harris, Williams, Sadi, Stuttle, Landa, Gregory (Tydeman, 64). Unused subs: Allan (g/k), William, Eagle.

Referee: Jacob Wright.