Bloomfield blossoms against former club

Erin Bloomfield returned to haunt her former club as AFC Bournemouth booked a place in the semi-final of the Adopt South Hampshire Women’s Senior Cup with victory over Southampton Women reserves.

Striker Bloomfield, who had two spells with the Sirens, opened her goal account for the Cherries by bagging a double hat-trick as Steve Cuss’s team triumphed 14-0 at Test Park.

The holders understandably dominated their lower-league opponents with Gemma McGuinness netting a four-timer, Chloe Gilroy a hat-trick and recent recruit Kenni Thompson also on the scoresheet.

Thompson saw an effort saved by Sirens goalkeeper Leah Etheridge in the early stages before McGuinness fired over the crossbar as the Cherries started on the front foot.

Gemma Hillier, picked out by Gilroy, tried her luck from the edge of the box only to see her shot deflected for a corner.

And from the resultant delivery from Alisha Buckingham, Gilroy turned the ball past Etheridge at her near post to draw first blood in the seventh minute.

McGuinness doubled the Cherries’ lead just two minutes later when she slotted home the rebound after Etheridge had parried a shot.

Good work by Thompson and McGuinness fashioned an opening for Gilroy but she could only lift her effort over the top.

Bloomfield burst through after 19 minutes and poked a shot goalwards, only for a defender to race back and clear it off the line.

However, the striker would not be denied just seconds later, Bloomfield capitalising on a mix-up at the back and making no mistake from close range.

Bloomfield added her second and the Cherries’ fourth when she swept the ball past Etheridge following an electrifying run and cross from Abby Jones after 22 minutes.

A delicate hanging cross from Bloomfield just eluded both McGuinness and Gilroy at the far post before the Cherries extended their lead in the 32^nd minute.

Gilroy’s excellent slide-rule pass teed up McGuinness who assuredly slotted the ball past the advancing Etheridge.

Katie Scadding was called into action twice in the first half, the Cherries goalkeeper saving comfortably with her hands from Amy Gritt and sticking out her left leg to prevent Olivia Glover’s shot creeping in.

A loud penalty appeal fell on deaf ears after Bloomfield had been sent sprawling by a defender before Thompson netted the pick of the Cherries’ first-half goals in the 40th minute.

Fed by Bloomfield, the Bermuda international turned inside and unleashed a powerful left-foot strike from the edge of the box which gave Etheridge no chance.

Etheridge saved from Gilroy and Hillier at the start of the second half before Bloomfield completed her hat-trick two minutes after the restart.

She was on hand to fire the loose ball into an unguarded net after Etheridge had been left on the floor having saved McGuinness’s initial effort.

Bloomfield further extended the Cherries’ lead when she finished from a tight angle having been set up by Thompson and rounded Etheridge on the hour.

Buckingham fired narrowly over the crossbar after Thompson had rolled a free-kick into her path before Etheridge raced off her line to save bravely at the feet of McGuinness.

Gilroy made it 9-0 after 72 minutes, the 22-year-old finishing calmly and coolly into the bottom corner having been assisted by McGuinness’s threaded pass.

And after Bloomfield’s strike had been pushed on to the crossbar by Etheridge, McGuinness took the score into double figures three minutes later.

The Republic of Ireland ace squeezed a header inside the near post after meeting Buckingham’s corner to register her third hat-trick of the season.

Etheridge beat away a fierce effort from Bloomfield before Buckingham’s shot rolled agonisingly the wrong side of the upright after she had taken aim having expertly controlled a pass from Thompson.

McGuinness slid in and met Buckingham’s low cross to make it 11-0 before Bloomfield’s delicate lob added to the scoreline, the two goals coming in the space of as many minutes.

Etheridge denied Buckingham when she tipped her thunderous drive over the crossbar before Bloomfield added her sixth, finishing with accuracy into the bottom corner after latching on to McGuinness’s pass.

Gilroy completed her hat-trick and the scoring with a tidy finish, arriving at the far post to sweep home a cross from Katie James two minutes from time.

AFC Bournemouth: Scadding, Jones (Starck, h/t), A Treweek, Smith, James, Hillier, McGuinness, Thompson, Gilroy, Bloomfield, Buckingham. Unused subs: Gladwell, Kosińska (g/k).