Bournemouth were the brightest in the opening stages, and were first to draw blood after 22 minutes when Warren Fenney slotted past new signing Harald Wapenaar.
The Blues equalized in rapid fashion three minutes later as Czech international Patrick Berger's corner was headed goalwards by skipper Teddy Sheringham, the final touch coming from Cherries defender Carl Fletcher.
Poertsmouth then took the lead after good work by Steve Stone resulted in a goal for Bulgarian hitman Sevtoslav Todorov. However, this lead only lasted a minute when a mistake at the back by Lewis Buxton left Wapenaar in trouble and Feeney was on hand for his brace.
After the break Bournemouth reclaimed the lead when Carl Fletcher scored, this time at the right end. But, in the spirit of a very casually played game, the Third Division Play-Off Winners were next to squander a lead in quick succession as Nigel Quashie placed the ball past former Southampton keeper Neil Moss following trademark selfless play by Sheringham.
Wapenaar kept a sprightly Bournemouth attack at bay for large periods of the game, but Steve Fletcher, signed from Hartlepool in 1992, scored in his own testimonial to put the Cherries 4-3 up. This lead was extended when substitute Aron Skelton struck from near range.
In the 74th minute there was a consolation goal for Pompey as Teddy Sheringham, who chalked up his first Portsmouth goal in Devon last week, capped off a fine performance by scoring a fine goal from the edge of the area.
Lee Bradbury, linked with a move away from Fratton Park, had a chance to equalise in the dying moments, but his shot went wide of the post and Bournemouth ran out 5-4 winners in a topsy-turvy game.
In the end it was a high-spirited clash against another team currently on the high of a promotion season (contrast that with the mood of our last opposition, Exeter). It's always hard to analyse what performances in friendlies and testimonials will bode for the coming season, but on this performance, the one thing I can guarentee is that Fratton Park won't be short of goals in 2003/2004.
Team: Wapenaar: Buxton, Harper (Hughes 61), Primus, Quashie, Berger, Zivkovic, Stone, Sherwood (Bradbury 79), Todorov, Sheringham (C)