JOE Roach's youngsters shrugged off the unavailability of 10 players to record another impressive victory at the weekend.

Cherries' under-18s were left depleted after injuries and first-team call-ups ravaged Roach's squad.

But this failed to stop the in-form side as goals from Carl Preston, Jordan Rose and Danny Ings gave the team, which included seven schoolboys, a comfortable Puma Youth Alliance South West Conference win.

"We had 10 players out," explained Cherries head of youth Roach.

"Sam Vokes, Joe Partington, Josh McQuoid, Ryan Pryce, Billy Franks and Matt Finlay were in the first team and Richie Whittingham, George Webb, Elliott Cooper and Rico Wilson were injured.

"But the team have done fantastically well. Two lads were called in from the under-16s. They ended up playing for me and slipped in like they'd been part of it for a while."

Roach emphasised the difference between playing for the senior youth side and the under-16s.

He said: "Under-16s is still a developmental age group. There are no yellow or red cards and it's a non-league environment.

"The under-18s is closer to the reserve and first teams. Points are seen as being more important, so it does change the mentality."

Cherries opened the scoring on Saturday in the seventh minute after Preston profited from an Ings assist.

Rose doubled the lead on 41 minutes before Ings struck a third following what Roach described as a "fantastic" pass from Jamie Davidson.

Roach was quick to heap praise on his young guns.

He said: "I've got a lot of hopes for Danny Ings. Him and Jamie Davidson have certainly forged a good partnership, considering they've only just come in during the last couple of weeks.

"Tom Hill did really well in the centre of the pitch, as did young goalkeeper Dan Thomas."

Roach's youngsters are second in the South West Conference behind runaway leaders Plymouth Argyle.

Cherries Youth: Thomas, Reeve, Queere, Oldring, Newton, Green (Hutchings, 54), Rose, Hill (Burbidge, 65), Preston (McGookin, 79), Davidson, Ings.

  • Cherries' in-form forward Vokes has retained his place in the Welsh under-21 squad to face Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday, March 26 in a UEFA Championship 2009 qualifier.
  • Roach's youth players get the chance to show their credentials in the club's reserve fixture at Bristol City tonight (7pm).

Eddie Howe's side is not expected to include any professionals due to the injuries that have hit Kevin Bond's League One strugglers.