FA Youth Cup: Connell urges team to deliver

The Cherries tomorrow face Football League Youth Alliance rivals Oxford United with a place in the fifth round at stake for the victors.

Oxford pipped the Cherries to the South West Division title this season, while Connell’s young guns knocked the U’s out of the Youth Alliance Cup.

The tie takes place on Oxford City’s 3G pitch at Court Place Farm (7pm) with the winners hosting Aston Villa following their 4-1 win over Reading in the fourth round.

Victory over Hull City last season saw the Cherries reach the fourth round for the first time since 1997 with Connell’s team exiting at the hands of Tottenham.

Connell told afcbTV: “We touched last season on the historical side of things and I think the players are aware that the club hasn’t progressed too far in the competition too often.

“But my main focus is on making sure the players are ready to deliver a performance that we think can win the game. If on the back of that some records are broken then we would take that.

"First and foremost though, my priority is to make sure the players are in a good mind set and a good place.”

The Cherries drew both league games against Oxford with the U’s having booked their place in the fourth round after beating Burnley on penalties at Turf Moor last month.

Connell added: “They had a really good result in the last round at Burnley. We know each other well and are two good sides so it will be an interesting game and one we are looking forward to.

“The FA Youth Cup provides our players with an opportunity to compete in the most prestigious competition of the footballing calendar at our level and there’s a big carrot at stake.

“It’s a challenge we are looking forward to and I’m sure it will be a good game and a good experience for both sets of players.”

In-form striker Jake Scrimshaw has netted seven times – including two hat-tricks – against Oxford this season.

The 18-year-old also opened the scoring during the Cherries’ dramatic and last-gasp 2-1 win over Mansfield in the third round at Vitality Stadium last month.

Scrimshaw told afcbTV: “I think we got caught in the emotion in the last round and not everyone had played in the FA Youth Cup before. We all wanted to win but Mansfield made it difficult for us.

“The first half didn’t go very well but we reacted in the second half and ended up getting a late winner.

“We’ve played Oxford three times this season, drawn twice and beat them once. If we play to our best, we will give it a good go and, hopefully, make history for the club.

“We’ve had a good season so far. We didn’t win the Youth Alliance but, hopefully, we can move on to the Merit League and win that.”

Connell names a full-strength squad for the tie with the exception of Ryan Glover, who had anterior cruciate ligament surgery five weeks ago and is out for the rest of the season.

AFC Bournemouth: (from) Ward, Plain, Parker-Trott, Camp, Genes, Kurran-Browne, Bertrand, Hanfrey, Ibsen Rossi, Torniainen, Oliver, Gray, Nippard, Moriah-Welsh, Dinsmore, Saydee, Cope, Scrimshaw, Pardoe, Clements.

Key stats

1. Oxford won the South West Division of the Football League Youth Alliance, while the Cherries were runners-up.
2. The winners of tomorrow’s tie will host either Aston Villa or Reading.
3. Oxford overcame Hemel Hempstead, Barnet and Burnley to reach the fourth round.
4. Cherries are unbeaten in 16 matches in the league and have only lost two games all season – Exeter in the league and Southend in the quarter-final of the Youth Alliance Cup.
5. Cherries have played Oxford three times this season, drawing 1-1 at Canford Arena on the opening day and 3-3 away in their final game of 2018. They also beat them 5-1 in the second round of the Youth Alliance Cup in September.
6. Jake Scrimshaw has netted seven goals – including two hat-tricks – in three games against Oxford this season.
7. The Cherries reached the semi-finals in 1968-69, losing the first leg 5-1 against eventual winners Sunderland and drawing the second leg 1-1 at Dean Court.