Cherries win dramatic penalty shootout

AFC Bournemouth booked a place in the final of the Adopt South Women’s Hampshire Senior Cup following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over National League rivals Moneyfields on Sunday.

The Cherries, who won last season’s final on penalties, netted all five spot-kicks through Molly Barron-Clark, Erin Bloomfield, Alisha Buckingham, Kenni Thompson and Gemma Hillier.

And while Gemma Simmonds, Sophie Phelps and Kau’lnohea Taylor scored for Moneyfields, first taker Kim Fuller blazed her penalty over the crossbar, earning the Cherries a 5-3 win.

Both teams had chances to win the tie at Oaklands Park, the home of Chichester City, during 90 minutes with goalkeepers Katie Scadding and Rose Kite making important saves.

Bloomfield met Lucy Cooper’s tenth-minute cross with a firm header which found the back of the net, only for the effort to be ruled out for a push.

Abby Jones’s 20-yarder flashed past the upright before Moneyfields goalkeeper Kite dived full length to her right to paw Chloe Gilroy’s drive around the post.

Cherries goalkeeper Scadding raced off her line to save at the feet of Charley Wilson-Wilton as the Moneyfields striker looked to fasten on to a ball from deep from Phelps.

Buckingham’s corner midway through the first half led to a frantic goalmouth scramble which ended with Kite smothering Bloomfield’s prodded shot.

Gemma McGuinness clipped an effort wide after being teed up by Bloomfield before Simmonds sliced a shot off target having met Rozalia Sitarz’s cross.

Wilson-Wilton’s close-range strike was saved comfortably by Scadding, the teams reaching the break deadlocked following an even first 45 minutes.

Boss Cuss made no fewer than five changes at the break with Holly Humphreys making a welcome return to the first-team fold following a 12-month injury absence.

Thompson, another of the interval substitutes, almost made an immediate impact when her cross-shot was punched clear by Kite early in the second half.

Kite was also forced to parry Barron-Clark’s inswinging corner before Beth Burgess latched on to a long ball and saw her shot flicked past the post by Scadding.

As the hosts again threatened, Scadding made a tremendous reaction save to beat away Wilson-Wilton’s stinging drive midway through the second half.

Burgess looked destined to make the breakthrough after going clear on goal in the 72^nd minute, only to lose control as she was about to pull the trigger, allowing Scadding to gather the loose ball.

The Cherries also thought they had taken the lead when Buckingham found the back of the net after 78 minutes, only for her effort to be chalked out for offside. 

Bloomfield weaved her way through to create a shooting opportunity in the closing stages, only for her effort to land in the grateful hands of Kite before the tie went to penalties.

The Cherries’ opponents in the final are not yet known. The three other remaining teams in the competition are Southampton Women, AFC Portchester and Southampton FC Pro Game Academy under-21s. The final takes place at Aldershot’s EBB Stadium on Monday 13^th May (7.45pm kick-off).

AFC Bournemouth: Scadding, Smith, Treweek, Fripp (Venditto, h/t), Jones (Humphreys, h/t), James (Barron-Clark h/t), Buckingham, McGuinness (Hillier, h/t), Gilroy, Bloomfield, Cooper (Thompson, h/t).