Dacosta on the boil as Cherries gain revenge in FA Youth Cup
AFC Bournemouth
- Attendance:
- 315
- :
- Mark Senior
A clinical double from Michael Dacosta Gonzalez earned AFC Bournemouth an impressive 2-0 victory over Exeter City in the third round of the FA Youth Cup on Thursday 2 December.
Dacosta Gonzalez followed up a thumping first-half header with a finely-taken solo goal just two minutes into the second half as the Cherries avenged last season’s defeat by the Grecians at the same stage of the competition.
Alan Connell’s team, beaten 3-1 at St James Park exactly 12 months to the day, turned on the style in the first half and deservedly reached the break leading thanks to Dacosta Gonzalez’s sixth-minute opener.
And after the Spanish-born teenager had added a superb second with an outstanding solo goal in the 47th minute, the Cherries stood firm at the back to defend their two-goal lead.
They will now go into the hat for the fourth-round draw which takes place on Monday 6th December.
Defender Owen Bevan and midfielder Marcus Daws were the only survivors in the Cherries starting line-up from last season’s third-round clash 12 months ago.
Bevan, who was handed the captain’s armband this season, and Daws were joined by fellow second-year scholars Noa Boutin, Ferdinand Okoh and Owen Palmer.
Goalkeeper Ollie Camis was one of six first years handed a start, the others being Finn Tonks, Dacosta Gonzalez, Ben Winterburn, Daniel Adu-Adjei and Archie Harris.
The bench comprised second year Josh Ferguson, first years Lewis Brown, Toure Williams, Max Kinsey-Wellings and Baylin Johnson together with under-16 duo Nathanael Boot and Noah Crisp.
Sonny Cox, who was on target for the Grecians in last year’s win over the Cherries, started for the hosts having featured twice for Exeter in this season’s Papa John’s Trophy.
Camis had an early touch, the goalkeeper falling to his right to comfortably smother Joe Wragg’s dangerous cross.
And he came off his line to confidentially claim a high cross from Harrison King as three Exeter players looked to pounce.
Dacosta Gonzalez fashioned the first shooting chance but fired high and wide having turned inside off the right flank.
The Cherries drew first blood in the sixth minute when Dacosta Gonzalez arrived unchallenged at the near post to apply a thumping header to Daws’s corner.
As Exeter looked for a quick response, Wragg tried his luck from 25 yards, the ball flying into the safe hands of Camis.
Adu-Adjei went close to doubling the Cherries’ lead in the 15th minute, the striker unable to make good contact with Harris’s driven, low cross at the near post, with Boutin pivotal in the build-up.
Bevan made an important headed interception to prevent Mitch Beardmore’s cross from reaching Cox before Dacosta Gonzalez fired into the side netting.
As Connell’s team continued to dominate possession, Daws’s effort from 20 yards flashed wide and Adu-Adjei poked a cross from Finn Tonks just past the post.
Exeter created their first noteworthy chance after 37 minutes when Palmer could only clear Cox’s cross as far as Beardmore who skied his effort over the crossbar from close range.
Dacosta Gonzalez doubled the Cherries’ lead with a finely-executed individual goal just two minutes into the second half.
The 16-year-old winger seized on a stray pass midway inside the Exeter half of the pitch before embarking on an electrifying run into the 18-yard box.
And after riding no fewer than three challenges, he fired a low left-footed shot past Grecians goalkeeper Harry Lee and into the back of the net.
Camis was then forced to beat away a fierce shot from Wragg before Mike Lilley’s shot deflected past the upright.
As Exeter pushed to halve the deficit, a shot from Eli Collins struck one of his own team-mates before Wragg fired the loose ball narrowly past the post.
Boutin dispossessed Harrison King on the left wing but slammed his shot into the side netting before Lee was forced to push Harris’s free-kick around the post late on.
MATCH FACTS
Exeter City: Lee, King, Edgecombe, Lilley, Nevile, James (Pond, 57), Wragg, Billington, Cox (Hanson, 76), E Collins (Spencer, 85), Beardmore.
Unused subs: O’Connor, Z Collins, Cunningham, Sowden (g/k).
Booked: Nevile.
AFC Bournemouth: Camis, Tonks (Brown, 67), Bevan, Palmer, Harris, Okoh (Kinsey-Wellings, 72), Winterburn, Daws (Johnson, 81) Dacosta Gonzalez, Adu-Adjei, Boutin.
Unused subs: Williams, Ferguson, Boot, Crisp (g/k).
Booked: Bevan.
Referee: Mark Senior.
Attendance: 315.
All pictures courtesy: @ppauk.