Skipper Gemma Hillier netted a potentially-priceless equaliser as AFC Bournemouth were held to a 1-1 draw by National League rivals Keynsham Town on Sunday.

Hillier raised the roof at Vitality Stadium when she fired home from the edge of the box in the 73^rd minute, her strike cancelling out Vicky Vipond’s first-half opener for the visitors.

A crowd of 6,162 saw the Cherries denied victory by a string of fine saves by Keynsham goalkeeper Charlotte Haynes with the woodwork also coming to the visitors’ rescue on two occasions.

Katie James fashioned the first shooting chance after three minutes, her effort from a tight angle parried at her near post by Keynsham goalkeeper Haynes.

An important intervention by Maisy Smith prevented Naomi Clipston going clear on goal at the other end before Ellie Butler’s dangerous cross was turned behind for a corner.

Haynes gathered Molly Barron-Clark fiercely-struck drive before Kelci Bowers threw herself in front of Hannah Price to block her effort.

The visitors drew first blood in the 20^th minute when Vipond stole in at the far post to fire Clipston’s deep free-kick past Cherries goalkeeper Daniela Kosińska from close range.

Gemma McGuinness’s piledriver was charged down by Keynsham defender Mia Daly before Haynes raced off her line to beat Lucy Cooper to a through ball.

The Cherries appealed in vain for a penalty in the 32^nd minute when Barron-Clark was taken out by Daly’s crude challenge but referee Daniel Forrester was unmoved.

Abby Jones’s electrifying run took her past two players and into the 18-yard box, only for her resultant shot to cannon off Daly and go for a corner.

Cooper’s cross eventually fell invitingly at the feet of McGuinness but her shot found the grateful hands of Haynes on the stroke of half-time.

And in added time, Haynes again foiled her former teammate, McGuinness looking destined to level, only for the goalkeeper to pull off a top-drawer save to push her shot around the post.

Olivia Venditto and Kenni Thompson replaced Bowers and Butler as boss Steve Cuss made a double substitution at half-time.

Barron-Clark headed narrowly wide from Jones’s cross at the start of the second half before Cooper’s shot flashed past the post following a neat turn by the striker.

Cooper, teed up by McGuinness’s slide-rule pass, saw her thunderous strike tipped on to the post by Haynes midway through the second half.

And as the Cherries continued to pile on the pressure, substitute Erin Bloomfield saw her powerful header from Thompson’s centre rattle the crossbar.

Hillier curled an effort past the upright following a Barron-Clark corner before James shot straight into the arms of Haynes from the edge of the box.

Bloomfield nodded Thompson’s cross just past the post before the Cherries finally found the equaliser through Hillier after 73 minutes.

The skipper was on hand to rifle a low drive through a crowd of players and into the back of the net from 18 yards after Thompson’s cross had been diverted into her path by a defender.

Haynes saved with her legs after a well-worked free-kick routine had seen Barron-Clark switch the ball to Thompson who was thwarted by the Keynsham goalkeeper five minutes from time.

Cooper almost snatched victory in added time with Haynes again saving the day for the visitors.

AFC Bournemouth: Kosińska, Bowers (Venditto, h-t), Smith (Bloomfield, 59), Treweek, Jones, James, Barron-Clark, Hillier (Buckingham, 80), Butler (Thompson, h-t), Cooper, McGuinness (Gilroy, 80).

Booked: Barron-Clark.

Keynsham Town: Haynes, Withers, Garton, Radburn, Vipond, Stirrup, Clipston (Clark, 89), Reed (Bullock, 52), H Price (S Price, 68), Daly, Amphlett. Unused sub: Bees.