COACH Stephen Purches described Cherries' first encounter in the Final Third Development League as a “massive learning curve”.

Cherries held the Hatters until just after half-time at Kenilworth Road earlier today before a second-half goal blitz saw the hosts net five times without reply.

With Purches having decided loan commitments for several members of his squad should take precedence, Cherries fielded a youthful starting line-up.

Ross Lafayette rifled home the opener after 48 minutes before Jim Stevenson doubled the Hatters' lead midway through the second period.

Cherries were sunk by three goals in the space of eight minutes with a Frankie Musonda effort followed by two from Stevenson as he completed his hat-trick.

Purches told the Daily Echo: “It was a very young team against a strong men's outfit and they have to learn quickly from these sorts of games because this is how it can be. In the end, it just felt like we were overpowered.

“We were fairly happy with how things had gone in the first half. We needed to be a lot more clinical with the chances we created but that is the difference when you are playing in a league rather than friendlies. It is about taking your chances and we had a few we didn't take in the first half.

“They really tried to press us in the second half and made it difficult for us to play out. Again though, it is all about learning how to find a different way to do things.

“You can practice all you like but, in a game situation against a team that wants to try to do everything on the front foot, it is a different scenario. That is why we are in this league. We have a group of young lads and they need to learn quickly if they want to improve as they go along.”

Purches added: “The plus points for the boys were coming to a league ground and playing in front of a crowd which is something some of them wouldn't have experienced before.

“It is all about our lads growing quickly and, whether they are 17 or not, they need to make sure they know when these situations happen again, it is about staying in the game and not panicking.”

Cherries visit Wessex One outfit Fleet Spurs in the second round of the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday, September 16.

Cherries: O'Flaherty, Lee, Muleba, McCarthy, Kaye, Cornick, A Coulibaly, Carmichael (Butcher, 60), Gilkes, Quigley (Surridge, 80), Whitfield.