Academy coach Stewart Henderson oversaw Saints' first game against league opposition of pre-season as Southampton made the short trip to Bournemouth in wet weather conditions.

The rain fell for a prolonged period before kick-off but it failed to dampen the spirits among the travelling support who came out in their droves to witness the first match under the new ownership of Markus Liebherr.

Fans got their first glimpse of trialist Graeme Murty who joined in with the pre-match warm-up, but could not play due to insurance reasons. Goalkeeper Kelvin Davis returned as Saints No.1 after agreeing a new three year deal at the club just two days before the game.

Injury victims Wayne Thomas, Lee Holmes and Morgan Schneiderlin missed out altogether as Henderson fielded a line up which included many of the players who he has worked with in the Academy set up.

Of those former Academy players, Simon Gillett, Adam Lallana and Lloyd James were all given a midfield role ably supported by Jake Thomson and Jack Boyle on the wings.

Thomson made the early running in the game as he got down the right hand side and whipped in a strong cross which was snatched out of the air by Shwan Jalal in the Cherries goal.

Thomson and Lallana combined again inside the first ten minutes with the former-Cherries loanee cutting inside with a run towards goal, before placing a low shot just to the right of goal.

Saints stopper Davis was called into action moments later, as Joe Partington chested the ball down to Brett Pitman, who unleashed a fierce shot from just outside the box, but the Saints captain had things covered.

Welsh Under-19's captain Partington then brought Saints left back Joseph Mills crashing down to the ground on the half-way line, but the former Scunthorpe loanee recovered with no ill-effects.

An audacious attempt from Grzegorz Rasiak from eight yards out nearly brought the crowd to its feet on 25 minutes as his back flicked chip towards goal narrowly scraped over the bar from Gillett's well measured pass.

Thomson became increasingly involved with everything Saints did going forward and perhaps should have scored after beating Cherries right back Davide Grasse for pace before being dispossessed just as he went to pull the trigger inside the area.

Lallana tested Jalal with a rising half-volley from 20-yards out but it was seen all the way by the former Peterborugh United keeper.

Jake Thomson then had to replaced five minutes before the break as an earlier knock forced him to come off early. Matthew Paterson was introduced in his place, initially taking up the same right wing position as the twenty year-old.

Saints were the presented with a free-kick inside the D of the area after Jalal appeared to have handled the ball outside of the area. James took the dead ball but his shot cannoned into the wall, with the Cherries 'keeper escaping without a booking despite his earlier infringement.

At the interval Henderson made two further changes as Davis and Mills were replaced by Bartosz Bialkowski and 2nd year Academy scholar, Ben Reeves respectively.

Bialkowski was called into action early on in the new half as he punched clear from Jeff Goulding's speculative cross under pressure from substitute Jamie Smith.

On 51 minutes though, Saints were celebrating as Matt Paterson steered a fierce shot home across Jalal from the right hand side, after a neat lay off from Rasiak had put him through. The shot took a deflection off the post in the process.

Five minutes later however, the hosts were back on level terms as a through-ball found winger Liam Feeney in the area and the Cherries wide man struck a first time effort past Bialkowski for an equaliser.

Just before the hour mark Bournemouth took the lead when Saints' Polish goalkeeper, Bialkowski ran out of his area to clear a loose ball, only to scuff his effort straight into the path of former Portsmouth midfielder Sammy Igoe who was left with an empty net to lift the ball into from just outside of the area.

Not content with one outrageous finish, Igoe tried his luck again from distance moments later, but his effort flew wide of Bialkowski's left-hand post.

Feeney was then put through by Igoe as the Cherries looked to build on their advantage, but the winger's shot was parried well by Bialkowksi before it was cleared by Chris Perry.

Jack Saville replaced Jack Boyle before Lallana was denied a certain goal by Igoe at close range as the midfielder's effort was turned over the bar by a last-ditch intervention from the scorer of Bournemouth's second goal.

Substitute Saville saw out the game at left-back for Saints, with Ben Reeves moved up to play on the left of midfield, leaving Doble, Paterson and Lallana to form a three pronged attack.

With ten minutes left on the clock, midfielder Lloyd James curled a first time shot which just went over the bar from the centre of the area.

A free-kick was then awarded Saints' way with three minutes left to play as Gillett's cut-back to Doble saw the young midfielder- turned striker upended as he went to shoot. Ben Reeves lined up a dipping set-piece which came back off the wall.

It turned out to be the visitors' last chance of an encounter which had been brought life by the early second half goals, but ultimately left Stewart Henderson's side with a defeat. However, more importantly it saw several key players getting their first 90 minute run outs of pre-season under their belts.

Bournemouth: Jalal, Robinson, Garry, Pearce, Grasse, Feeney, Partington, Holland, Igoe, Pitman, Goulding. Subs: Smith, Web, Broadhurst

Southampton: Davis (Bialkowski 46), Wotton, Perry, Lancashire, Mills (Reeves 46), Thomson (Paterson 38), Gillett, James, Boyle (Saville 71), Lallana, Rasiak (Doble 67). Subs (not used): Pulis, McNish.

Referee: Mr G.D. Scott

Kick-off: 15:00