CHERRIES pre-season training camp in Spain ended in defeat after three goals in seven second-half minutes resulted in a 2-1 victory for Girona.

The clash at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Barcelona came to life after the hour mark when Jack Simpson was sent off following a VAR review saw his caution for a trip upgraded to a red card.

Marc Gual put Girona ahead after a mix up in the Cherries backline before Ryan Fraser levelled a minute later following a strong run by Jordon Ibe.

However, the Segunda División outfit regained the lead with four minutes to play when Juanpe fired a header beyond Artur Boruc from a corner.

Eddie Howe repeated the mixture of youth and experience in his starting XI for the second time in five days. Alex Dobre, Gavin Kilkenny and Nnamdi Ofoborh all featured in midfield, with Dan Gosling captaining the side. Mark Travers got his first action of pre-season, while Callum Wilson and Dominic Solanke teamed up again in attack.

Smart passing led to Cherries’ first shot on target in the 16th minute. Dobre’s stinging effort went straight into the keeper’s arms.

Moments later, Girona almost had the lead through what would have gone down as a calamitous own goal.

Travers’s clearance cannoned into Nathan Ake’s midriff before flying narrowly wide of the empty goal.

Midway through the half, Solanke squandered an excellent opportunity to open the scoring.

Wilson’s delicate pass put the former Chelsea and Liverpool frontman in on goal on the angle but Juan Carlos parried the firm right-foot strike clear.

At the other end, Juan Boselli’s forceful strike shortly after half an hour stung the palms of Travers.

The Dorset club struggled to breach a resolute Girona backline for the rest of the half, with Ofoborh smashing over a long-range effort.

Wilson raced on to a poor back pass in the penalty area but a last-ditch challenge prevented the England international from a strike at goal.

Dobre’s header from Adam Smith’s cross was tipped on to the crossbar by Carlos, however, the assistant referee’s flag was up for offside as it remained goalless in the first half.

Cherries made 10 changes at half-time, with only Ofoborh re-emerging after the break.

Boruc was forced into a smart save 10 minutes into the second half to deny Kevin Soni after the Cameroonian danced his way into a dangerous position.

The Polish stopper was called upon again to deal with a rasping effort from Gual on the hour.

In the 67th minute, Simpson was sent off after initially being shown a yellow card for a foul on Gual, who appeared to be in on goal. Following a short delay for a VAR consultation, the referee upgraded the caution to a red and Cherries had to play the final period of the game with 10 men.

Girona made good use of the extra man and forced Boruc into another smart stop to deny Gual in the 79th minute.

Moments later, the Sevilla loanee broke the deadlock. Confusion in the Cherries defence handed the striker a clear route at goal and he dispatched his shot into the net.

However, Cherries instantly bounced back. Ibe drove at the defence before sliding Fraser in down the inside-left channel. The former Aberdeen man kept his cool and slotted between the keeper’s legs with a neat finish.

Girona skipper Juanpe restored the lead in the 86th minute. From a corner, the centre-back found space and powered home a free header into the bottom corner.

In the closing stages, Boruc denied Gual and Soni but Cherries failed to level for a second time before the final whistle.

Cherries (first half): Travers; Smith, Mepham, Ake, Rico; Kilkenny, Ofoborh, Gosling, Dobre; Solanke; Wilson.

Cherries (second half): Boruc; Stacey, Ofoborh, Simpson, Kelly; Ibe, Surman, Butcher, Fraser; Brooks; Surridge.