CHERRIES’ development side survived some early pressure before securing a consummate 4-0 victory in sweltering conditions at Wimborne Town today.

After the hosts had made the early running, wasting some presentable openings of their own, Cherries seized control with goals from Josh O’Hanlon and Harrison Gilkes within the first five minutes of the second half.

Following the customary flurry of pre-season changes, the visitors went on to grab further strikes through substitutes Aly Coulibaly and Jayden Stockley as the hard-working Magpies had their wings clipped.

Following a tepid start, Wimborne created the first meaningful opening when good work from Scott Arnold and James Stokoe ended with Mark Gamble stretching to slice wide of a gaping goal at the far post.

Moments later, Gamble latched onto another loose ball but saw his shot bounce wide as the home side steadily imposed themselves on the game.

Ex-Cherries youngster Billy Maybury pounced upon a loose ball being contested by Stokoe and Aristide Bassele to worry visiting keeper Jordan Holmes with a fierce drive that fizzed just over the crossbar.

But Stephen Purches’s side found some momentum after half an hour with livewire Gilkes at the hub of three chances during a five-minute flurry for the visitors.

Firstly, the wideman whipped in a fierce cross which O’Hanlon nodded wide having got between two defenders.

Having won a thundering challenge with home midfielder Jon Blake, Gilkes then scampered away and found O’Hanlon in the channel but skewed wide after receiving the return ball.

But the pick of the bunch was still to come as Gilkes created and followed up Bassele’s stinging shot, rounding keeper Luke Horton only to roll the ball harmlessly across the face of the open goal.

Cherries continued to turn the screw after the interval and soon made up for their profligacy.

Some crisp passing round the edge of the penalty area ended with O’Hanlon unleashing a powerful shot across goal which gave Horton no chance.

Another fierce effort three minutes later, this time from midfielder Sam Matthews, set up the second as Horton spilled his shot at the grateful Gilkes’s feet to tap home.

Carmichael played a sumptuous ball for O’Hanlon but the Irishman, clean through on goal, spurned the chance of a quick-fire third as his shot drifted wide.

In a rare foray forward, Blake saw his snapshot charged down by Cherries defender Jake McCarthy but Cherries continued to probe after both managers had made a host of changes.

Substitute Harry Cornick made an immediate impact with a neat turn and cross to set up Aly Coulibaly’s simple yet delightful third with 11 minutes to go.

Gamble nearly grabbed a consolation for Wimborne with an overhead kick following a bout of penalty area pinball, drawing a fine reaction save from Cherries custodian Jordan Holmes.

And Cherries further punished that miss when Jayden Stockley raced onto a well-weighted pass from deep and netted with ease during the dying embers.

Magpies: Horton, Arnold, Maybury (Moore, 69), Costello, Oliver (Biles, 62), Blake, Brimson (Phelps, 69), Powell (Strickland, 52), Stokoe, Gamble, Griffin. Unused sub: Kemble.

Cherries: Holmes, King (Muleba, h-t), Buckley (Harfield, 73), McCarthy, Kaye (Butcher, 83), Carmichael (Joyce, 54), Gilkes (Cornick, 73), Matthews (Coulibaly, 73), O’Hanlon (Goodship, 73), Bassele (Stockley, 73), Walsh (Melo, 54).