Cherries Development Squad defeated by Brighton under-21s

AFC Bournemouth’s Development Squad fell to defeat against Brighton and Hove Albion after conceding two goals in two minutes at the Vitality Stadium.

It was the visitors who started off quickly leading to the first chance of this Premier League Cup group game after around 90 seconds. Then the Cherries looked to threaten with Michael Dacosta Gonzalez using his pace to try and expose the Brighton wingbacks. The Cherries first shot on target came from him as he cut inside into the box on his left foot, but it went straight at the keeper.

The hosts kept mounting the pressure and it was Dacosta Gonzalez again posing the threat as he ran through the Seagulls finding Noa Boutin in a dangerous position but Antef Tsuongui was there to make the block and stop the hosts taking the lead.

Brighton responded instantly on the counter, with Cam Peupion being found in the area only to drag his shot wide. Soon after this Brighton looked to make the breakthrough with a powerful header from Jack Hinshelwood, but Cherries keeper Cameron Plain showed some great reflexes to push it away for a corner.

The resulting corner was played short and Imaki Samuels unleashed a curling shot from around 25 yards forcing Plain into action again. The chances gave the visitors confidence who started to take control of the game and their resulting pressure resulted in the deadlock being broken as Casper Nilson put a low cross in the box finding Hinshelwood to take the lead.

Immediately after the visitors looked to double the lead and they did as a great pass from Luca Barrington found the skipper Jack Spong in space in the Bournemouth area and he calmly placed it into the bottom right corner to give the Seagulls a 2-0 lead.

It was nearly a third for Brighton on 38 minutes as striker Todd Miller found Cam Nielsen in space, but he failed to convert the chance. The Cherries tried hard to find a goal back before the break and this nearly came in injury time as Dacosta Gonzalez intercepted a heavy touch and he found Johnny Stuttle who got on target, but Brighton keeper James Beadle made a good save to deny the Cherries what could have been a massive goal before half time.

The second half failed to live up to the intensity of the first but the Cherries looked to make a comeback and backed by 2,000 supporters getting behind them with chants of “Red Army” as the hosts started to up the intensity and the best opportunity of the half came when a short corner from Dominic Sadi found captain Ben Greenwood around 25 yards from goal and he unleashed a powerful effort but Seagulls keeper Beadle was able to get a hand on it and put it over.

Bournemouth didn’t back down and kept pushing until the final whistle, but Brighton showed their class and managed the game brilliantly to hold out and get both the three points and a clean sheet in the match played on Saturday 23 November.

Cherries’ Development Squad travel to Derby County on Monday 12 December for their next Premier League Cup fixture.