ALEX Dobre bagged a brace as Cherries under-21s saw off Oxford 4-1 in a friendly this afternoon.

Dobre's double was added to by strikes from Tom Dinsmore and Jake Scrimshaw, cancelling out an Owen James penalty for the hosts.

The deadlock was broken as early as the seventh minute when Romania forward Dobre beat goalkeeper Max Harris from a tight angle.

Ryan Glover missed the chance to double the tally, firing against a post.

But the lead was extended before the break, courtesy of a long-range Dinsmore strike.

A foul by Brennan Camp gave Oxford the chance to reduce the arrears soon after the restart, with James making no mistake from the spot.

But Cherries quickly responded with Dobre slamming in from Scrimshaw's set-up.

Striker Scrimshaw then saw an effort of his own cleared off the line, before he got on the score-sheet at the death.

Cherries: Dennis, Gillela, Camp, Ibsen Rossi, Hanfrey, Glover (Pardoe, 84), Kilkenny, Dinsmore (Nippard, h-t), Dobre, Scrimshaw, Hamilton (Kurran-Browne, 76).

Unused subs: Zemura, Besant (g/k).