DOMINIC Sadi’s late strike away at Reading ensured a draw for Cherries’ development squad in a six-goal thriller of a friendly on Tuesday afternoon.

The away side had taken an early lead via Euan Pollock after just 11 minutes, before the hosts responded with three first-half goals of their own.

Noa Boutin halved the deficit just before half-time, with Cherries then made to wait until the 87th minute for their next goal, which came via Sadi.

All three of Cherries’ goalscorers had been involved in some capacity with the first team on Saturday, Pollock and Sadi named on the bench, whilst Boutin was utilised as Cherries’ spare man.

With Cherries’ development squad last in action in December following repeated postponements to their final Premier League Cup group game away at QPR, the friendly was arranged to keep Alan Connell’s charges sharp ahead of the rearranged fixture this Friday.

Prior to opening scores, Pollock had smacked the woodwork with an effort, the striker going on to grab the first goal by empathically converting Sadi’s low-driven cross.

A 16-minute flurry of goals from the Royals turned the game on its head, Cherries down 3-1 heading into the closing stages of the first half.

The pace of Frenchman Boutin was released with a ball over the top, the winger bursting through to score and give Cherries a fighting chance in the second period.

In a second-half of few chances it took a bit of quality from Sadi to restore parity, the attacker blasting into the top corner from the edge of the area late on.

Discussing the performance, development squad coach Connell told afcb.co.uk: “It was paramount to get minutes in the legs today.

“A lot of our boys haven’t played since before Christmas.

“Even the under-18s that played today, it’s been two and a half weeks since their last game.

“So, it was vital that we got today in and we’ll be in a lot better place on Friday as a result.”

Cherries: Terrell; Popoola (Trialist B, 61), Boutin, Genesini, Kinsey-Wellings (Tonks, h-t), Greenwood, Dacosta Gonzalez, Brown, Pollock (Trialist A, h-t), Sadi, Adu-Adjei.

Unused subs: Allan, Gidaree.