BOSS Alan Connell described as “disappointing” his Cherries under-18s’ display as they scraped into the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.

A double from Christian Saydee, as well as strikes from Harvey Bertrand and Luke Pardoe saw the hosts race into a four-goal lead over Barnet at Vitality Stadium.

But having conceded three times in eight minutes at the start of the second half, Connell’s young charges were made to survive a scare to prevail 4-3.

The youth team manager told afcbTV: “It was not the expectations and the levels that the boys need to get to, to have a chance at this football club, or any professional football club in a first team.

“To play for this club you need, not just the technical ability, you need the resilience, the fight that has put the club where it is today. It wasn’t enough from the boys.

“I thought we were poor from minute zero definitely until we scored the first goal.

“The four-goal spell we had was a bit better but nowhere near good enough.

“At half-time we tried to address a few things. We didn’t get the response I wanted and conceded the three quick goals, which hugely disappointed me.

“We had spells of passing the ball okay when we stuck to what we were trying to do and didn’t think that, all of a sudden, we had to do something amazing every time.

“The passing was not good enough, we took too many touches. A disappointing performance.”

Cherries are set to face either Cardiff or Ipswich in the next stage, with those sides set to battle on Saturday.

“We are going to have to get a better performance,” added Connell.

“What I think has happened (against Barnet) will be good for the boys long term. I think we will be better for the experience.

“They have had a bit of credit lately, a bit of media attention where maybe they think they are better than they are and they are getting above their stations.

“I have made sure of where I think they are at and the work we need to put in moving forward to make sure, first and foremost we progress as individuals.

“Ultimately, that’s my job, to get as many individuals through that are good enough to make the next step at this football club.

“At the same stage last season we scraped through against Mansfield and we didn’t play well but we went on to perform much better in the following rounds.

“I am going to do everything I can in my power to make sure that happens again.”

Cherries were also rocked when skipper Saydee, their leading scorer in the side this season, was forced off after 57 minutes with an ankle problem.