Mercurial Molly Barron-Clark netted for the sixth game in succession as AFC Bournemouth climbed to the top of National League Division One South West courtesy of a 2-1 win over third-placed Moneyfields on Thursday.

Barron-Clark, who assisted for Kenni Thompson's opener, scored what proved to be the winner midway through the first half at Oaklands Park, the home of Chichester City.

Thompson fastened on to Barron-Clark's sweeping pass to draw first blood after three minutes before the hosts hit back to level through Kau'inohea Taylor in the 23rd minute.

But Barron-Clark was rewarded for a superb all-round display when she started and finished the move which saw the Cherries take maximum points.

Victory in their final game of the season against second-placed Exeter City on Sunday 5th May would see the Cherries promoted.

Thompson’s excellent pass put Gemma McGuinness in the clear, but she was foiled by a fine save from Moneys goalkeeper Rose Kite after just three minutes.

Gemma Simmonds responded for the hosts, her powerful drive from 20 yards narrowly clearing the woodwork.

The Cherries drew first blood in the tenth minute, with Barron-Clark the architect after her raking crossfield pass had picked out Thompson.

And the Bermudan international showed her class with a great finish, the winger squeezing a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

A superb interception from Katie James prevented Charley Wilson-Wilton from taking aim from close range as the hosts looked for a quick reply.

Moneys levelled when Kau’inohea Taylor prodded the loose ball home from inside the six-yard box in the 23^rd minute after Dani Kosińska had saved a bullet header from Simmonds.

However, the pendulum swung back in favour of the visitors in the 28^th minute with Barron-Clark starting and finishing the move.

She won back possession thanks to a crunching tackle and, after the ball had eventually fallen to her on the edge of the box, Barron-Clark caressed it over Kite and into the top corner.

Kite saved low down at her near post to deny Barron-Clark a third goal five minutes before half-time and smothered bravely at the feet of McGuinness.

As an entertaining opening 45 minutes drew to a close, Kosińska clutched a firm header from Moneys skipper Wilson-Wilton after she had met Rozalia Sitarz’s cross.

Kite acrobatically tipped Thompson’s piledriver over the crossbar at the start of the second half before Barron-Clark fired narrowly wide after latching on to Lucy Cooper’s pass.

And as the Cherries continue to probe and create chances, Thompson nodded Barron-Clark’s deep centre over the top.

Sitarz’s snapshot flashed over the crossbar before Kite parried Abby Jones’s angled drive and pouched Gemma Hillier’s thunderous effort.

Kosińska pulled off a top-drawer save to push Simmonds's rasping drive away for a corner deep in added time.

AFC Bournemouth: Kosińska, Bowers, Smith, Treweek, Jones, James, Barron-Clark, Hillier (Buckingham, 83), McGuinness (Bloomfield, 88), Cooper (Gilroy, 78), Thompson (Venditto, 90). Unused sub: Scadding (g/k).