AFC Bournemouth
The under-21s beat Moneyfields 3-2 in an entertaining game on Tuesday evening to book their place in the Hampshire Senior Cup final.
Jake Scrimshaw gave the visitors the perfect start as he hunted down a bouncing ball, rounded the ‘keeper and slotted home.
Gavin Kilkenny added a second before half time, though Steve Hutchings quickly brought the lead aback down to a single goal just after the start of the second half.
Christian Saydee netted the away side’s third with a well-taken volley, only for Joe Briggs to continue the back and forth of the scoring with Moneyfields’ second.
The away side pushed hard for another late on, but without scoring again saw the game out to secure their place in the final of the competition they last won in 1989.
Originally scheduled for February, the semi-final finally got under way eight months later on a chilly and drizzly night under the lights in Portsmouth.
Inside a minute Cameron Plain alertly punched away, and moments later the Cherries led from their first attack.
Scrimshaw ran onto a ball forwards, beating the advancing ‘keeper and keeping his nerve to calmly beat a tight angle and open the scoring.
Jaidon Anthony skillfully cut in from the left flank, firing low but denied by a good Jake Hallett save.
Saydee forced Hallett into diving action again, Scrimshaw sneaking in at the near post but volleying over as the away side looked to push their advantage further.
Marley Ridge tested Plain’s reactions before, at the other end, Anthony shot a low effort narrowly wide of the far post.
Moneyfields were enjoying their best spell of the game but were soon undone for a second time, just past the half-hour mark, as another quality Bournemouth finish doubled the lead.
It was Kilkenny this time who arrived in the area and fired a low strike home.
Nathan Moriah-Welsh sliced wide with a good chance after Anthony had led a break, before Ryan Glover could only fire over as he ran onto a cut back.
Home left-back Alex Lafleur stung Plain’s palms from range, though the Cherries were back on the attack before the half-time whistle.
Within two minutes of the restart Hutchings - a former Cherries youth team player - put the home side on the board as he pounced in a loose ball in the area.
The home spurt was short lived however, Saydee the architect and finisher for the Cherries’ third, the strike turning out to be the winner on the night.
The striker battled well in the middle of the park, passing wide for Glover but continuing his run and crisply striking the cross home first time.
Scrimshaw swiveled well in the box and forced Hallett to react well to keep it out, though the Moneys soon scored their second to set up a nervy finale.
Briggs was the scorer as he defied a tight angle to finish high into the roof of the net.
Scrimshaw chased through with ten minutes to go, Hallett out of his area to successfully challenge, only for the striker to regain the ball, create space and fire in again, the ‘keeper brilliant again to push the effort into the bar.
Hallett was required again soon after as he blocked another Scrimshaw shot from point-blank range, the Cherries looking to make the most of a tiring opposition back line late in the game.
The scoring was at an end, however, the referee's whistle signalling the end of the rain-sodden contest and sending Shaun Cooper's side into the final of the Hampshire Senior Cup.
