TEENAGER Christian Saydee revealed some advice from Cherries legend Steve Fletcher is helping him improve as a striker.

The forward impressed for the club's under-21s on Wednesday afternoon, scoring a goal and providing an assist as Cherries saw off Bristol Rovers 2-0 in a friendly at Canford Arena.

Saydee has also been involved with the first team in recent weeks, named as a substitute on three occasions since Jonathan Woodgate became boss, including the FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton.

And the 18-year-old says conversation with assistant first-team coach Fletcher, who scored 121 goals in 728 appearances across two spells for Cherries, has helped his game.

Discussing his time training and being with the first team, Saydee told afcbTV: "I feel like it's always a good experience. Every time I go there, no matter what happens it's always a good experience, just being around them.

"Training is always fast so I have to keep up. I can't keep doing the same things, like taking too many touches.

"I can hold the ball up but not all the time because then I become predictable. In the game (on Wednesday), first half I think when I did hold up the ball I was taking too many touches and then big Fletch came up to me and said when the time is right, take one or two touches because that way that's when you've kept the ball.

"And I felt like in the second half when I did do that, I've kept the ball basically every time so it was good."

And Saydee hopes those improvements could see him get a chance in a first-team match.

Asked what his hopes are for the rest of the season, the striker said: "Hopefully just to keep being in and around them (the first team) and then hopefully make my debut.

"Just keep doing the same thing, keep being on the bench and keep impressing."

Keelan O'Connell was the other scorer for Shaun Cooper's under-21s in the victory over Bristol Rovers, a side Cherries lost to four weeks earlier.

First-team players Will Dennis, Jordan Zemura, Gavin Kilkenny and Jaidon Anthony all started in the win, with Woodgate and the rest of the senior coaching staff watching on.