CHERRIES development squad secured safe passage in the Premier League Cup with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Eastleigh's Silverlake Stadium.

A strong end to the first half saw skipper Nathan Moriah-Welsh break the deadlock before Daniel Adu-Adjei grabbed his 17th goal of the season.

Dominic Sadi grabbed goals three and four inside the first 10 minutes of the second half with two efforts from outside the box.

Sub Ashley Clarke made it five in the closing stages, before a stoppage time goal for Kam Kandola restored some pride for the away side.

Victory lifts young Cherries up to first in Group B, advancing to the knockout stages with two games to spare.

Early on Ben Winterburn produced a vital intervention to deflect Owen Farmer’s effort from inside the box onto the crossbar, although goalkeeper Cam Plain might have also got a touch.

Plain was involved in the action again, sliding across to push away Marvin Kaleta sliced shot at the back post.

Those two opportunities for Wolves woke Cherries up, Alan Connell’s charges increasing their pressure on the away side’s goal.

Moriah-Welsh slipped in Sadi to the Wolves’ byline, a smart cross reaching the head of Adu-Adjei only for the striker to flash wide.

The Guyana international then produced two efforts from long-range, Wolves keeper Lewys Benjamin equal to both Moriah-Welsh shots.

Kian Tydeman went close but was blocked inside the six-yard box by a swarm of Wolves defenders.

But it would be Moriah-Welsh who opened the scores five minutes before the break.

Lewis Brown’s interception allowed Cherries to continue up the pitch, eventually leading to Finn Tonks crossing into the box.

Tydeman quickly tapped the ball down to tee up Moriah-Welsh who quickly slotted into the far corner to give Cherries the lead.

Before Wolves could get into the break to reset, it would be two.

Sadi spun to release Tydeman, who cut the ball back to Adu-Adjei to swivel and shoot past Benjamin for Cherries’ second.

After providing two assists in the first period, Tydeman almost set up a third in the opening stages of the second period as his free kick was headed onto the bar by Winterburn.

However, Cherries did not have to wait long for their third, as moments later Sadi picked up the ball before blasting beyond Benjamin with a howitzer from range.

Sadi’s second was another tidy effort from range, this time using placement rather than power to find the back of the net.

Wolves thought they had pulled one back shortly after, Farmer’s goal bound header cleared off the line by Max Kinsey.

The game entered a lull, but Cherries still had more to offer.

Adu-Adjei’s goal across the face of goal found substitute Clarke, who turned home Cherries’ fifth with his first touch.

Cherries’ clean sheet was interrupted in stoppage time, Wolves sub Kandola stealing in at the back post to nod home at a free-kick.

Cherries: Plain, Tonks, Kinsey (Holman, 79), Winterburn, Boutin; Brown (Landa, 74), Moriah-Welsh, Sadi, Dacosta Gonzalez, Tydeman (Clarke, 74); Adu-Adjei (Stuttle, 79).

Unused subs: Allan (g/k).