In-form Molly Barron-Clark played a starring role as AFC Bournemouth maintained their National League promotion push with a 5-0 win over Torquay United.

Barron-Clark had a hand in the first four goals, netting a hat-trick and supplying the assist for Erin Bloomfield to score.

Her first-half double saw the Cherries reach the break leading 2-0 before Bloomfield headed home her pinpoint cross to make it 3-0 early in the second half.

Barron-Clark almost completed her hat-trick with a spectacular bicycle kick which flashed wide, the midfielder making no mistake midway through the second half.

Her treble took her personal tally for the season to nine, Barron-Clark having scored in the Cherries' past four games, wins over Portishead, Bridgwater, Southampton Women and the Gulls.

Kenni Thompson wrapped up the victory when she completed the scoring in the closing stages.

Barron-Clark saw her ninth-minute effort deflected for a corner before Thompson’s shot was saved at her near post by Gulls goalkeeper Emma Ayres.

Gemma Hillier picked out Katie James who fired wide, while Thompson’s free-kick from 25 yards was tipped over the crossbar by Ayres.

Barron-Clark spotted Ayres off her line and tried her luck with an audacious strike from distance which narrowly cleared the crossbar.

And after Thompson’s corner had eventually found its way to James on the edge of the box, her shot flew over the top.

The breakthrough came on 32 minutes, Barron-Clark curling a delightful shot past Ayres following good build-up play between Hillier and Bloomfield.

Cooper looked to seize on an error by Ayres, only to drag her shot wide of the target before the Gulls goalkeeper saved from Bloomfield from point-blank range.

Barron-Clark doubled the Cherries’ lead two minutes before half-time when she met Thompson’s cross with a cushioned header which beat Ayres.

Cooper side-footed wide at the start of the second half before Bloomfield added the hosts’ third eight minutes after the interval, the striker arriving to head home Barron-Clark’s perfectly-weighted cross from close range.

Barron-Clark almost raised the roof at Ringwood Community Hub when she met Bloomfield’s cross with a spectacular bicycle kick which just cleared the woodwork.

There was no reprieve for the Gulls when Barron-Clark completed her hat-trick midway through the second half, the midfielder finding the bottom corner after Thompson’s cross had eventually fallen for her.

As the Cherries continued to create chances, Cooper was unfortunate to see her effort come back off the crossbar before Thompson fired wide following some silky skills.

Thompson was on hand to complete the scoring late on, the Bermuda international lashing home the loose ball after Alisha Buckingham's shot had been saved acrobatically by Ayres. 

AFC Bournemouth: Scadding, Bowers (Venditto, 64), Treweek, Jones, James (Smith, 68), Barron-Clark (Buckingham, 68), Hillier (Butler, 64), McGuinness, Cooper, Thompson, Bloomfield (Gilroy, 68).