A CHERRIES under-21 team missing a host of its regular performers went down to a 6-1 defeat in their Central League meeting with Swindon Town yesterday.

While boss Stephen Purches was forced into fielding a youthful Cherries starting X1 in Wiltshire, the home team were flooded with experience.

Chelsea loanee Islam Feruz – one of British football's hottest properties when he swapped Celtic for Stamford Bridge five years ago – started and scored for the Robins.

Former Brighton midfielder Rohan Ince and first-team striker Jermaine Hylton – who helped himself to four goals – also featured for Swindon.

The hosts broke the deadlock when Anton Rodgers’ deflected 30th-minute free-kick defeated Cherries goalkeeper Callum Stanton.

Feruz lobbed Stanton to double Swindon’s lead on 36 minutes, with Hylton adding to his team’s tally 10 minutes after half-time.

That was the cue for the 23-year-old to run riot. He struck from close range on 62 minutes before converting a penalty after Stanton had fouled Ellis Iandolo.

Those two efforts sandwiched Mikael Ndjoli’s successful 65th-minute spot-kick for Cherries – a return to form from 12 yards for the forward who had a penalty saved against QPR a fortnight ago.

Hylton's emphatic finish completed the scoring with 13 minutes to play.

Cherries: Stanton, Sherring, Cordner, Hobson, Seaman, Ofoborh, Taylor, Diaz, Anthony, Dobre, Ndjoli.