Cherries sign off in style at Griffin Park

AFC Bournemouth bid a fond farewell to Brentford’s Griffin Park by registering an impressive 3-1 victory in their fourth pre-season friendly.

AFC Bournemouth bid a fond farewell to Brentford’s Griffin Park by registering an impressive 3-1 victory in their fourth pre-season friendly.

Jordon Ibe paved the way by opening the scoring in the first half and then had a hand in goals for Dominic Solanke and Sam Surridge after the break.

Solanke, who had earlier needed treatment after taking the full force of a David Raya clearance in the face, recovered his composure to record his first goal for the club since his January move from Liverpool.

Surridge came off the bench to finish emphatically 14 minutes from time before Brentford substitute Marcus Forss hit a late consolation for the hosts.

This was the final pre-season friendly to be staged at Griffin Park with Brentford due to move to a new stadium at the start of 2020/21.

And unless the teams are paired together in a cup competition this season, this will have been the Cherries' final visit to a venue which saw them claim a famous victory in the penultimate game of their 1994/95 Great Escape.

Nathan Ake skippered a Cherries team which included Jefferson Lerma who was handed his first taste of pre-season action after returning from the Copa America with Colombia.

Former Brentford favourite Chris Mepham also started for the Cherries, one of five full internationals in Eddie Howe’s team.

The Cherries mounted a swift counter-attack after just two minutes when Solanke’s incisive pass sent Jordan Ibe scampering down the right.

And after his cross had found Jack Stacey in the box, the wing-back’s first-time shot was blocked by Brentford defender Christian Norgaard.

Mark Travers was called into action just seconds later, the Cherries goalkeeper diving to his left to smother a speculative effort from Sergi Canos.

A lively start from the visitors saw Solanke’s long-range drive flash past the post before Ibe’s shot was charged down by a defender.

Josh Clarke fired into the side netting from an acute angle after trading passes with Canos inside the Cherries 18-yard box.

David Brooks was thwarted by David Raya after being picked out by Ibe, the Brentford goalkeeper racing off his line to prevent the Wales international from drawing first blood.

Emiliano Marcondes tried his luck with an ambitious free-kick from 30 yards, his effort failing to trouble Travers as it cleared the crossbar.

Ibe broke the deadlock when he slotted home from a tight angle after seizing on a stray pass from Norgaard in the 31^st minute.

The Bees paid the penalty for trying to play out from the back with Norgaard gifting the ball to Ibe who still had plenty to do to find the back of the net.

As the hosts went in search of a quick response, Ethan Pinnock climbed above the Cherries defence to meet a corner from Marcondes with Travers saving comfortably.

Ake did well to cut out Clarke’s dangerous cross before Pontus Jansson kept Brooks at bay as the Cherries man looked to find a way through.

Brentford were again caught out at the back when Raya squandered possession far too cheaply to Lerma.

However, the Bees goalkeeper atoned when he pulled off a fine one-handed save to prevent the Colombian from doubling the Cherries’ lead on the stroke of half-time.

Jan Zamburek almost profited from a mix-up at the back after chasing down Mepham’s pass across his own six-yard box at the start of the second half.

But as the Brentford man went to close down Travers, the Cherries goalkeeper reacted quickly to clear the ball to safety from his own goalline.

Solanke required treatment having felt the full force of a clearance from Raya before Marcus Forss’s fierce drive deflected off Ake for a corner.

Although the Cherries defended well as Brentford enjoyed a period of pressure early in the second half, Travers remained largely untroubled.

The Cherries made it 2-0 through Solanke after 70 minutes, the striker registering his first goal of pre-season and his first for the club following a sweeping move.

Started by Ibe and involving Brooks, Solanke cleverly flicked the ball past Raya after Jack Stacey had whipped a venomous cross into the danger zone.  

Sam Surridge, on as a 71st-minute replacement for Brooks, rifled number three into the roof of the net, with Ibe again at the heart of the move.

Ibe's precision centre found Surridge at the far post, the substitute finishing with accuracy and power, giving Raya no chance with 14 minutes remaining.

Forss reduced the arrears when he burst clear and drove the ball under the advancing Travers three minutes from time.