Leon Ayinde netted twice and Tommy Taylor and Jacob Mazionis once each as Town’s U21s saw off a second-half fightback to beat AFC Bournemouth 4-2 at Portman Road in Professional Development League Two South. Ayinde (pictured) gave the Blues a 2-0 lead at the break before the Cherries hit back to level, however, Taylor and Mazionis sealed the three points for John McGreal and David Wright’s men.

Blues number nine Taylor nodded the first chance of the game to Cherries keeper Callan McKenna, the U18s captain getting his head on a Matty Roberts shot which had deflected into the air following a corner on the left.

Town took the lead in the seventh minute. Roberts sent Matt Ward away in space on the right, the winger playing back to skipper Edwin Agbaje, who sent over a cross, which deflected off a defender and landed at Ayinde’s feet at the far post from where the former Cork City man shot across the keeper and in

The visitors almost hit back immediately, a low Charlie Osborne cross from the left reaching Finn Tonks at the far post but the right-back skied his shot deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Town should have made it 2-0 on the quarter hour. After the Cherries had got caught playing out from the back, Roberts played in Ward on the right of the box from where the former Braintree loanee cut back to Ayinde at the far post but on that occasion the forward somehow put the ball the wrong side of the post from virtually the same position he netted his earlier goal.

The Blues continued to have the better of it with Ayinde claiming a penalty in the 18th minute when he was manhandled to the ground by Tonks as he sought to go round the outside of his man.

A minute later, Ward sent over a teasing cross from the right, which a defender turned behind just ahead of Taylor.

The Cherries, whose coach is ex-Blues academy striker Alan Connell, back at Portman Road for the first time in more than 20 years, thought they’d levelled in the 22nd minute.

Dominic Sadi and Karlos Gregory exchanged passes at the end of a slick passing move before Sadi shot across Blues keeper Charlie Binns and into the net. However, Gregory had strayed offside when he received Sadi’s wall pass.

Two minutes later, Roberts played in Taylor but visitors keeper McKenna came off his line to block.

On 26, another well-worked move from the back ended with Ward cutting back to Roberts, but the former Wales U18 international shot over.

A minute later, the one-time Arsenal youngster had another opportunity, heading over from Osman Foyo’s cross from the right.

Bournemouth had a spell on top but without creating a serious chance and in the 34th minute the Blues broke and doubled their lead.

Midfielder Stephen Turner played a ball forward for Ayinde on the left and the Irishman cut inside Tonks and struck a right-foot shot past McKenna to claim his second goal of the game.

On 38, Foyo hit a low effort just wide of McKenna’s left post, then two minutes later Sadi seized on an underhit Binns pass out and burst into the area but the forward’s low strike failed to trouble the Town keeper, who grabbed down to his left.

Ayinde should have been celebrating his hat-trick in the 42nd minute as Town broke four-on-two following a Bournemouth corner. Foyo brought the ball forward at pace, then fed Ayinde to his right but keeper McKenna came off his line to block. In the aftermath, Roberts slipped as he shot wide.

In the final scheduled minute, Ayinde was booked for pulling back Kian Tydeman as the Cherries counter-attacked with Blues centre-half Mazionis on the floor appearing to have been fouled earlier in the move.

Town had been much the better side throughout the half and really should have been more than two goals in front having had plenty of chances to add to their tally, Ayinde missing two further opportunities.

Both sides made a change at the break, Michael Lavin coming on for right-back Agbaje, who recently returned from injury, for the Blues, while the Cherries swapped Gregory for Ashley Clarke.

Balraj Landa shot wide for the visitors two minutes after the restart, but Town went very close to making it 3-0 in the 51st minute when Taylor headed powerfully towards goal from a left-wing cross but keeper McKenna did well to keep it out with the loose ball taken off Harry Barbrook’s head by a Bournemouth boot but with referee Matthew Norton showing no interest.

On 57, Ayinde’s shot was blocked, then Ward stuck a powerful effort across the face and wide with the Blues still well in control.

However, in the 59th minute, the Cherries pulled a goal back. Sadi played a cleverly-worked free-kick in to Lewis Brown, who turned it on to Landa on the right of the box and his cross was diverted into his own net off his thigh by Blues centre-half Dan O’Connor.

Town, who really should have been out of sight in the first half, went about restoring their two-goal advantage, McKenna saving Ward’s shot from the right of the box above his head in the 62nd minute.

But two minutes later, the visitors equalised. After return pass on the edge of the area had been cut out, Landa hit a shot beyond Binns and into the corner of the net to the keeper’s left.

The Cherries could now sense what at half-time looked an unlikely victory, Sadi shooting over from the edge of the box in the 68th minute.

However, on 73, the Blues restored their lead via a move which started with keeper Binns. Taylor moved the ball wide to Ward, who in turn played the striker in on goal. Taylor took it past the advancing McKenna and chased towards goal, diverting Lewis Brown’s attempted clearance off the line into the net, the frontman’s fourth goal in four games.

On 78 Ward, who had caused Bournemouth problems all afternoon, was switched for Jesse Nwabueze.

Two minutes later, with the Cherries taking the game to Town as they looked to get back on terms again, Landa shot wide from the edge of the box towards the right.

From the goal-kick, sub Nwabueze cut in from the right and saw his shot deflect for a corner.

Bournemouth had a chance to level again on 82 when a ball in from the right struck Mazionis and put Cherries sub Clarke in on goal on the right of the box but Binns was quickly off his line to block.

The visitors continued to look for an equaliser as the game moved into its closing stages, O’Connor blocking a shot from the right of the box close to the end of the scheduled 90 minutes.

However, our minutes into injury time, Ayinde won a free-kick on the left from which the Blues netted their fourth of the afternoon to confirm their victory.

Roberts sent in a teasing ball and Mazionis got above everyone to flick a header inside the far post.

It was almost five in the final couple of seconds, Nwabueze winning the ball off Archie Harris and taking it in on goal, however, McKenna was able to save.

Town should have had the game well won in the first half given the number of chances they created, however, they allowed Bournemouth back into the match in the second half.

But, like their first-team counterparts, the second string show the character to get back on top and seal the win via the two goals in the final quarter of an hour to claim what overall was a thoroughly deserved three points.

Town: Binns, Agbaje (c) (Lavin 46), H Barbrook, Mazionis, O'Connor, Turner, Ward (Nwabueze 78), Foyo, Taylor, Roberts, Ayinde. Unused: Cullum, Okunowo, Uzor-Greey.

Bournemouth: McKenna, Tonks, Osborne, Brown, Kinsey (c), Harris, Williams, Sadi, Tydeman (Johnson 73), Landa, Gregory (Clarke 46). Unused: Holman, Allan, Eagle.

Photo: Matchday Images

slade1 added 17:08 - Mar 19 No wonder we won with McKenna in goal for Bournemouth.
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BluePG added 17:22 - Mar 19 What has happened to Buabo? Came on as sub in a couple of games and looked ok, but isn’t playing u21s? Injured, I presume?!
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Northstandveteran added 19:34 - Mar 19 Likewise Ash Botswain ^
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