STEPHEN Purches predicts "a good experience" for Cherries' youngsters when they face their Stoke City counterparts at St George's Park this afternoon (2pm).

Purches's troops were invited by the Football Association to play the under-23 friendly so the fixture could be used as a coaching aid for those taking their FA Youth Award qualification.

And under-21s boss Purches admitted it had been a privilege to be asked to feature at the £105million facility in Burton, which is home to England's 24 national sides.

He told the Daily Echo: "We were invited back up by the FA to play Stoke – we did something similar last year when we played the England futsal team.

"The game will be a good test and a good opportunity for the lads to play.

"The coaches will watch on and will be given tasks around our game to look at. It will be a tool for them to learn from and for our lads there is an opportunity to play at a fantastic facility, so it works for everybody.

"I'm doing a presentation for the coaches before the game about bits and bobs which we are hoping to see. Then they will have a look at it during the game.

"It will be a good experience all-round for everyone and it was nice of the FA to think of us."

Purches admitted there "might be a couple" of first-team players involved in the fixture, in which three over-age players are permitted to feature.

On their original calendar, Cherries Under-21s had been due to host Southend United in the Central League yesterday, only for the fixture to subsequently be called off.