Dorchester Town were simply outclassed in a five-star show from League One outfit AFC Bournemouth.

The Cherries, despite not fielding their strongest line-up, were just too good for their Blue Square Bet South hosts and ran out 5-0 winners at the Avenue Stadium.

The Magpies, sporting their new kit, which sees a return to the traditional black and white stripes, had chances to reduce the deficit but will take solace from the fact that they will not be facing teams of Bournemouth’s calibre week in, week out come August 14.

County town chief Ashley Vickers said: “I said before the game that the gulf between Conference Football and the Football League is not that big, and it’s not individually. But collectively, when teams work on things on a daily basis the gulf can become greater and that’s what we found against Bournemouth.

“If I’m brutally honest, we couldn’t live with their movement. We regrouped at half-time and changed the formation to get to grips with certain things, and the boys did by giving their all.

“We had a lot of chances that we couldn’t convert, while they finished their chances clinically and hats off to them for a fine performance.

“I will say though, that four of their goals were down to individual errors.

“We can get away with that now but you must try and play the same way whether it be a friendly or a league fixture. It’s done, it’s out of the way, it was a good fitness exercise and we’ll move on to the game at Bashley on Tuesday when we’ll look to bounce back.”

Trialist Saul Otobo was given another run out and the former Cirencester and Eastleigh striker showed glimpses of his lightning pace.

Vickers added: “Saul had a positive effect on the game and perhaps we do lack out and out pace. If you’re asking me whether we could take him on board then I would have to have more of a look at him.”

Dorchester started well enough and were the first to go close 12 minutes in when Ryan Hill flashed a 25-yard free-kick past the right-hand post.

Just 60 seconds later, the higher-ranked Cherries drew first blood through 16-year-old Elliott Ward.

The midfielder found the bottom-right corner after Jayden Stockley’s header came back off an upright.

And it was 2-0 in the 28th minute as Ward doubled his tally thanks to a deflection off the sliding Kyle Critchell.

Coward then gifted a third goal to the visitors just four minutes later when his punch, from a Joe Partington centre, dropped at the feet of Stockley and he tucked home from seven yards.

The Magpies almost found a way back into the match but Nathan Walker’s header, following a Hill corner, was blocked on the line by Cherries’ skipper Warren Cummings.

Vickers switched to a 3-5-2 formation in the second half, but it did not stop the away side netting a fourth just five minutes into the restart, courtesy of Danny Ings’ low drive.

Hill went close with another set-piece before Stuart Douglas clipped a shot just over the crossbar of ex-Magpie Gareth Stewart.

The hosts were now enjoying a spell of pressure and their best chance fell to substitute Matt Groves on the hour. But he shot rather tamely at Stewart following Mitchell Nelson’s weak back pass. Tempers were beginning flare somewhat after a petulant kick from Groves, on Ryan Garry, and a robust challenge from Hill, on Ward.

Bournemouth appeared unfazed though as McQuoid scored what proved to be the final goal – skipping past Jamie Frampton before sliding the ball under Coward.

Magpies: Coward, R Hill, Critchell, Jermyn (Allen 68), Walker (Frampton 56), K Hill, Coutts, Gleeson, Moss (Otobo 68), Douglas (Groves 56), Devlin (Martin 68).

Cherries: Stewart, Purches (Wakefield 79), Garry (Strugnell 73), Cummings (Parsons 79), Ward, Nelson, Tindall (Hester 68), McQuoid (Chiedozie 79), Partington, Stockley, Ings.