ALRESFORD TN 3, BOURNEMOUTH 6

ALRESFORD’S plight in the Sydenhams Premier League deepened as fellow strugglers Bournemouth ripped their defence apart at Arlebury Park.

The Magpies appeared to pose the greater threat at first, but once Bournemouth had settled down they took the hosts to pieces with swift passing and the ability to get forward quickly.

The Poppies took enough of their numerous chances to leave Alresford trailing in their wake.

The lively Kabba Jack soon had the home defence at sixes and sevens, but it was Fawzi Saadi who opened the scoring with a stunning scissor-kick from the edge of the box.

Ten minutes later, Saadi ghosted through on the left and slotted the ball under the advancing Mike Weatherall.

Alresford’s John Mulhern limped off soon afterwards, to be replaced by Rian Jima-Otero, and as the visitors continued to make the running, Jack made it 3-0 and it was effectively game over.

The Magpies were better going forward in the second half, but the centre of their defence was still shipping water. On 52 minutes, Jack skipped onto an Ami Rosario pass, beat both home centre-backs and clipped the ball into the bottom left corner. Seven minutes later, Luke Ayrton made it 5-0 with a sweet half-volley from the edge of the box.

Brian Howard finally sounded a defiant note when he ran through a static Bournemouth defence and struck a swirling shot that Eliot Broome fumbled into his own net.

Soon, Ben Dexter dragged it back to 5-2, rising highest to head home powerfully from a corner.

Was the unlikeliest of comebacks on the cards? Not likely. Jack completed his hat-trick with a tap-in goal set up by Rosario.

There was still time for the hardy crowd to appreciate a ninth goal. Howard again ran at the Poppies defence and clipped a neat shot past Broome.

But the three goals Alresford scored did little to paper over their defensive shortcomings.