Becki Bath’s clinical first-half hat-trick paved the way for AFC Bournemouth to keep alive their National League promotion hopes on an historic day at Vitality Stadium.

Bath took centre stage in the opening period as the venue staged its first competitive women’s game with a crowd of just shy of 1,600 treated to an absorbing contest.

The Cherries registered a 4-1 win over Chesham United with the impressive Katie James putting the gloss on a fine team performance by completing the scoring in the 61^st minute.

Victory took the title race to the final day of the season with the Cherries visiting Exeter City and leaders Cheltenham Town hosting Chesham on Easter Sunday.

Steve Cuss’s team closed the gap on the Robins to just two points with the Cherries needing to beat the Grecians and hoping the Generals can do them a favour at Cirencester’s Corinium Stadium.

Bath opened the scoring in the 14^th minute, neatly sidestepping Chesham goalkeeper Amber Taylor and slotting the ball into an empty net after Jade Bradley’s cross had found her.

And although Gemma Fraser, the league’s leading goalscorer, restored parity just a minute later, Bath finished with aplomb to edge the Cherries ahead.

James, who set up a host of chances throughout, provided the assist for Bath to complete her hat-trick in the 36^th minute before adding a goal of her own in the second half.

The Cherries made a bright start with Lucy Cooper’s incisive pass picking out James who was unfortunate to lose her footing as she prepared to pull the trigger.

A great leap from Bath saw her climb above the Generals defence to meet James’s corner, her header flying narrowly over the crossbar.

Chesham then created a couple of chances with Cherries goalkeeper Sam Chrippes blocking a 20-yard piledriver from Kat Bowers

And after a cross from Kim Farrow had eventually fallen to Tash Smith, her first-time effort flashed past the upright.

Bath’s shot from distance slid past the post before the Cherries’ leading goalscorer drew first blood in the 14^th minute.

Teed up by a precision centre from Jade Bradley, Bath’s deft touch took her around Generals goalkeeper Amber Taylor before she rolled the ball into an unguarded net.

The lead, however, was short lived as the visitors hit back just a minute later after Bradley had squandered possession to Fraser.

And Fraser showed why she is the league’s leading goalscorer by clipping a delightful finish into the top corner of the net for her 23^rd of the season.

Back came the Cherries though with Bath restoring their lead in the 19^th minute as the Chesham defence looked on in vain for an offside flag.

The striker, picked out by James’s pass from deep, finished with accuracy from the edge of the box, her arrow-like strike giving Taylor no chance as it fizzed into the bottom corner.

Maisy Smith’s timely challenge on Calleigh Wright prevented the Chesham player from taking aim before Cooper fired past the post.

And as chances continued to come at both ends, Chrippes safely got behind a thunderous drive from Bowers before Taylor pouched a first-time effort from Cooper, with James again the provider.

It was no surprise when James supplied the assist for the Cherries to extend their lead – and it was no surprise who was the grateful recipient.

Bath, found by James’s inch-perfect pass, managed to squeeze the ball past Taylor at her near post to complete her hat-trick in the 36^th minute.

Abby Jones slid in at the far post and just failed to connect with another James cross before Chrippes made a stunning save to keep out Tash Smith’s effort from point-blank range with Betty Barron blocking Fraser’s follow-up shot.

And as a pulsating first half drew to a close, Chrippes ensured the Cherries’ two-goal lead would be preserved at the break when she made another top-drawer save to deny Fraser.

Taylor’s acrobatic save kept out Jones’s speculative effort at the start of the second half before Farrow fired narrowly wide at the opposite end.

Captain Maisy Smith threw herself in front of Fraser’s shot after a corner had fallen for her, the skipper’s brave block preventing Chrippes from having to make a save.

Cooper was foiled after latching on to a cross from substitute Elle Elkins, Taylor diving at the feet of the 16-year-old before her follow-up effort was blocked on the line by a defender.

However, there was no reprieve for the visitors in the 61^st minute when James scored the goal her tireless efforts deserved.

Picked out lurking in the left channel by Bath’s raking pass, James outstripped her marker before applying a cool side-foot finish past Taylor.

A well-worked free-kick routine involving James and Bath ended with Katie Kingshott unleashing a shot from 20 yards which just cleared the crossbar.

Indefatigable runner Cooper fell to her knees after she had gone close to adding a fifth, her shot going inches wide following a surge into the 18-yard box.

A blistering drive from James flew past the post before Chesham’s substitute goalkeeper Lucia Delves saved bravely at the feet of the lively Cherries forward.

Cherries’ substitute goalkeeper Katie Scadding made a fine save to keep out Bowers’ free-kick in the closing stages, her exploits earning her warm applause from the crowd. 

AFC Bournemouth: Chrippes (Scadding, 85), Jones, M Smith, Fripp, Davis (Wort, 83), Barron, Bradley (Elkins, 54), Kingshott (Francis, 73), James (Corbin, 80), Bath, Cooper.

Booked: Bath.

Chesham United: Taylor (L Delves, 65), Bebbington, Price, Wright, Blackburn (Gladwin, 90), Bowers, T Smith, Fraser, E Delves, Farrow, Bloor (Hetherington, 65).

Unused sub: Welling. 

Referee: Lucy Clark.

Attendance: 1,592.