1 week Ago
It was a thrilling final as AFC Bournemouth clinched the double with a 3-2 win over Cheltenham at the MGroup Stadium in Oxford after their National League Division One South West title win. Steve Cuss’s side led 3-1 at the break thanks to goals from Kenni Thompson, Jenna Markham and Ellie Strippel, but after Cheltenham captain Emily Owen scored 16 minutes from time to set up a nervy finish for the Cherries. But they held on to secure the Plate title and their second trophy of the season, with their third final to play on Wednesday night in the Hampshire Senior Cup.
It was a fast start for the Cherries as Phoebe Williams saw a 20-yard effort go just wide inside the opening two minutes. Strippel shot past the post after she was found by Williams’ knock down, before Erin Foley saved comfortably from Una Lue’s shot from distance at the other end. The Cherries opened the scoring after 11 minutes, Strippel winning a challenge and the ball rolling to Thompson who fired home into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Foley got down to save brilliantly from a Henna Butcher shot after she pounced on an attempted clearance from Abby Jones. Thompson went close to her brace as she struck the crossbar with a free kick from 25 yards in the 20th minute, before Lue’s shot flashed across the Cherries’ goalmouth. Bournemouth doubled their lead midway through the first half, as Thompson’s cross found Gemma McGuinness who played it for Markham to prod home at the far post.
The Robinesses halved the deficit after 31 minutes, as Lue’s crossed went through Foley’s grasp and into the net. The Cherries bounced back and restored their two-goal advantage five minutes later, though. Strippel put an excellent finish with the outside of her right boot into the net past the Cheltenham keeper Carys Pugh-Jones at full stretch.
McGuinness put a header just wide of the post on the stroke of half time from a corner before Thompson drew a save from Pugh-Jones. Five minutes after the resumption, Foley made a brilliant reaction save from Lue and Strippel went close at the other end, clipping an effort just over the bar after a cross from Kelci Bowers. Foley made another great save to preserve the Cherries’ advantage, pushing Butcher’s shot past the post.
The Cherries continued to search for a fourth goal, Thompson smashing the post with a header after a Bowers cross, but Cheltenham got one goal back after 74 minutes. Foley could do nothing to prevent Owen’s header finding the top corner as the Robinesses captain met Libby Bell’s corner. But Bournemouth continued to push forwards to look for a fourth goal to put the game to bed, Thompson seeing an effort cleared by Ffion Llewellyn after a low cross from Markham.
Williams poked over the bar in added time, as the game ended 3-2 to the Cherries and they secured the National League Plate to secure the double. Up next, Steve Cuss’s team head to AFC Totton for the Hampshire Senior Cup final, facing Southampton U21s on Wednesday, April 16..
