BOURNEMOUTH boss David Dunn has admitted he would not be afraid to pitch his inexperienced youngsters into the red-hot fray of a Dorset & Wilts Cup final.

Cup holders Lions booked their place in the Twin Counties showdown with a convincing seven-try 40-22 last-four triumph at Chippenham.

The Chapel Gaters don’t know who will provide the opposition in the final, which could be played on March 27.

But they could call upon the likes of Pete Armstrong, Harry Stevenson, Adam Higgins and Neil Stanton-Ketchley, who all impressed in the win over Chippenham.

Dunn said: “I was really proud of them all.

“Chippenham pulled out their experienced players for this one, but our young brethren all gave accomplished performances.

“Michael Pope is still under 20 as well, but because of his record and performances we tend to forget he is developing as a player.

“None of them looked out of place.

“The final is more than a month away yet, anything could happen in that time. So they will all be selected on merit when it comes to the cup final.”

Dunn added: “It was a job well done, although it wasn’t a classic.

“Chippenham were spirited in the way they came at us, but we just had too much for them really.

“Our scrummage was completely dominant the whole game, if we hadn’t made some basic errors the gap would have been much greater.

“Ash James scored his first try for the first team on one wing, which was great, and it was lovely to see James Flynn back in Bournemouth colours on the other.

“He’s been away travelling for 12 months and came back and got two tries.

“James has worked his way back into the first team and did a terrific job.”

Karim Lynch ran in his first try for high-flying Lions against their lowly National Three South West rivals, with Alan Manning, Chris Hughes and Scott Chislett also diving over.

Puks Ngapaku popped over a penalty and Pope, who he replaced as a second-half substitute, punted a conversion.

<•>Pope scored a brilliant solo try and slotted over a match-winning penalty in Dorset & Wilts under-20s nail-biting 13-12 triumph over Buckinghamshire at Chapel Gate.

James Walter also touched down for the Twin Counties.

<•>Ellingham & Ringwood were pipped 6-3 at Fordingbridge in the New Forest derby.

Richard Major kicked a penalty for the Es in the London Three South West clash.