UNDER-21 boss Mark Molesley said a "nasty" knee injury suffered by defender Corey Jordan had "taken the gloss off" yesterday's prestige friendly with Italian giants Sampdoria.

 

Cherries were leading 4-0, with seven minutes left to play, when Jordan landed awkwardly after contesting an aerial ball next to the touchline.

 

The clearly distressed 18-year-old was carried off on a stretcher and the game abandoned, with Molesley saying the player was still in "a lot of pain" after the match.

 

Molesley told the Daily Echo: "I don’t know exactly what the injury is yet but it looks like quite a nasty one.

 

"He is in quite a lot of pain and, to be honest, the gloss has been taken off what was a really good day.

 

"Corey is one of our up and coming defenders. He has been fantastic for us, particularly in the last couple of games. It is a real shame to see him come off in those circumstances."

 

Jordan, who signed his first professional contract last March, made his single first-team appearance as a substitute in this season's EFL Cup defeat by Preston.

 

Explaining the decision to finish the game early, Molesley said: "There wasn't long left and we were comfortable in the match.

 

"The doctors were on the pitch so it was best just to call it off."

 

Before the game's unfortunate conclusion a Cherries side featuring first-team trio Max Gradel, Lys Mousset and Lewis Cook had proved far too hot for a naive Sampdoria outfit to handle.

 

Sam Surridge swept home Jordan Green's low cross to hand Molesley's team an eighth-minute lead. Two minutes later it was Green on target, when the winger latched onto Gradel's threaded pass and strode forward to send a blistering shot into the net.

 

And, with first-team boss Eddie Howe watching on, Green scored again on the quarter-hour. The 22-year-old played a smart one-two with Surridge before slipping an accomplished finish past the advancing keeper.

 

Surridge, nursing a knock to his knee, was withdrawn on 25 minutes – a "precautionary" move, according to Molesley.

 

Mousset's involvement also ended prematurely when the French striker pulled up sharply clutching his left hamstring.

 

Harry Cornick, playing his first football since October 1 following a groin injury, escaped down the right to tee up fellow substitute Mikael Ndjoli for Cherries' fourth goal on the stroke of half time.

 

Cherries: Ramsdale, Seaman, Jordan, Simpson, Harfield, Green (Diaz, 74), Taylor, Cook (Ofoborh, 72), Gradel, Surridge (Ndjoli, 25), Mousset (Cornick, 40).

 

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