CHERRIES fell at the final hurdle before Wembley as they bowed out in a 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Southampton.

Nathan Redmond struck twice for the visitors at Vitality Stadium after Moussa Djenepo’s 37th-minute opener.

Defeat meant Cherries missed out on making the final four of the competition - for what would have been the first time in their history.

Cherries made two enforced changes from the side who sealed a 3-0 victory over Swansea in midweek.

Junior Stanislas and Jefferson Lerma missed out through injury and suspension respectively. In came Rodrigo Riquelme and Ben Pearson in their places.

The hosts only named eight players on the bench, with Chris Mepham the oldest of those among the substitutes at just 23 years of age.

Saints, winners of the competition in 1976, also made two alterations to their line-up.

Djenepo and Redmond came in for Nathan Tella, who dropped to the bench. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side were without Liverpool loanee Takumi Minamino, who was cup-tied.

And it was Saints who thought they had taken the lead on 11 minutes. A sweeping ball from Jan Bednarek found the run of Kyle Walker-Peters down the right.

The former Tottenham man’s cross was turned into his own net by Cherries defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

But following a VAR check – the goal was chalked off with Walker-Peters marginally offside in the build-up.

Saints continued to threaten down their right flank, however. Scotland international Stuart Armstrong’s drilled cross found the run of Ryan Bertrand. The former Cherries loanee fired wide from the edge of the box.

Cherries had to soak up pressure in the opening 20 minutes but fashioned their first chance through Arnaut Danjuma.

After running on to a pass from Dominic Solanke, the Dutch forward showed quick feet to charge at Bednarek before working keeper Fraser Forster from an acute angle.

Bednarek was then booked for a foul on Danjuma, allowing Cherries to put the ball into the box. Skipper Steve Cook’s drilled cross from inside the area was just turned wide by Spanish winger Riquelme.

Madrid-born Riquelme then forced a save from Saints stopper Forster. His low effort came after playing a one-two with Solanke on the edge of the box.

But it was Saints who drew first blood with a neat counter-attack on 37 minutes. After Redmond had burst forward on the counter, his precise pass picked out the run of Djenepo.

After a slip from Jack Stacey, the Malian winger coolly stroked into the bottom corner to give the away side the advantage.

And in first-half stoppage time, Cherries were dealt a hammer blow by Redmond.

The pacey forward picked up the ball from Armstrong’s flick, ran at Cherries backline and powered the ball into the top corner.

Cherries started brightly after the restart and almost pulled one back.

Two-time FA Cup winner Jack Wilshere found half a yard to strike at goal from the edge of the box, the ball rippling the side netting.

But VAR then denied Saints a third. Che Adams’s crisp finish beat Asmir Begovic but Stuart Armstrong was judged offside in the build-up.

However, the tie was over as a contest when Saints did make it 3-0 before the hour mark.

After Jack Stacey gave away possession in a dangerous area, Armstrong’s low drive cannoned off the post into the path of Redmond to tuck home.

Cherries then switched Diego Rico for Chris Mepham, as they reverted to a back three for the closing quarter of the contest.

But Saints continued to put pressure on the hosts. Begovic’s fine stop denied Armstrong after he tried his luck from 20 yards out.

Sam Surridge forced Forster into a sharp save after heading Jaidon Anthony’s cross in the latter stages but Cherries had no answer to their south coast neighbours.

Cherries: Begovic, Stacey, S Cook, Carter-Vickers, Rico (Mepham, 67), Pearson (Surridge, 56), Billing (Kilkenny, 77), Riquelme (Anthony, 56), Wilshere, Danjuma, Solanke.

Unused subs: Zemura, Moriah-Welsh, Saydee, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Wilshere, Surridge.

Saints: Forster; Walker-Peters (Ramsay, 89), Bednarek (Stephens, 77), Vestergaard (Salisu, 77), Bertrand; Diallo, Ward-Prowse; Armstrong, Djenepo (Tella, 85); Redmond, Adams (N’Lundulu, 90).

Unused subs: Jankewitz, Ferry, Watts, McCarthy (g/k).

Booked: Bednarek, Vestergaard.

Referee: Martin Atkinson.

VAR: David Coote.