SUBDUED Pompey boss Harry Redknapp looked dismayed after an extraordinary pre-season friendly defeat and admitted: "I need a left-back."

It was no wonder Redknapp made a late bid to try and tempt St Mary's-bound Graeme Le Saux to Fratton Park after watching his side's 5-4 defeat against Cherrries in Steve Fletcher's testimonial match, writes ANDREW BISSELL.

Redknapp, right, confessed: "We have got no strength in depth in the squad and that's the problem.

"I need more players. If I lose a few more through injury, the team you saw today will be the one I'm relying on and some of those didn't even get on the bench last season."

The Pompey boss, who occupied the Cherries hot seat for nine years between 1983-92, added: "Defensively we were all over the place.

"I need a left-back and like Graeme Le Saux but I think Southampton will get him. They were in before us.

"At the moment the three best left-backs in the country are Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge and my own Matthew Taylor, but he is injured."

Redknapp, who denied a bid for Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips, added: "It is certainly going to be a tough season in the Premiership. West Ham were a different class when they played at Dean Court this week and they were relegated last season despite the great players they have got.

"So it will be hard for us but we will give it our best shot."

Fletcher managed to score with a great header in his testimonial match in front of a 6,646 attendance.

It was Fletcher's trademark back post header on 19 minutes which enabled Warren Feeney to spectacularly volley home the first Cherries goal.

Pompey were back on level terms ten minutes later when a Tim Sherwood corner was headed home by Teddy Sheringham courtesy of a deflection off Carl Fletcher.

Then Pompey took the lead following good work by Steve Stone, who presented Sheringham with a chance to cross from the right which was converted by Svetislav Todorov.

Seconds later, Lewis Buxton's tackle on Cherries midfielder Garreth O'Connor forced Pompey keeper Harald Wapenaar to palm the ball into the path of the advancing Feeney, who scored his second.

Within ten minutes of the second half, a Carl Fletcher volley and a Nigel Quashie tap-in had made it 3-3 before Steve Fletcher met an excellent Wade Elliott cross for the goal the Cherries fans had waited for.

Three minutes later Fletcher trooped off, deafening applause ringing in his ears. His replacement, Aron Skelton, increased Cherries' lead when he applied the finishing touch to a Brian Stock free-kick before Patrik Berger set up Sheringham to make it 5-4.

CHERRIES: Moss, Maher, C. Fletcher, Broadhurst, Purchess, Young, O'Connor, Browning, Hayter, S. Fletcher, Feeney; Subs used: Holmes, Elliott, Thomas, Stock, Skelton, Tubbs, Saadi, Woolfenden.

POMPEY: Wapenaar, Harper, Buxton, Zivkovic, Primus, Todorov, Sheringham, Berger, Stone, Quashie, Sherwood. Subs used: Hughes, Bradbury.