AFC Bournemouth Women team manager Steve Cuss praised his players for their “strong mentality” after they clinched the league title and promotion at the Vitality Stadium.
Cuss spoke of his pride after Cherries beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 with goals from player-of-the-match Jenna Markham and Katie James either side of half-time.
It meant the side kept up their 100 per cent record in the National League Division One South West this season, sealing the title and promotion to the third tier of English women’s football for the first time in the club’s history.
Cuss said: “My team have responded magnificently to get 18 out of 18 and win the title by the end of March. I think you saw their strong mentality today.
They found a way to win the game today with a couple of moments of real quality.
“They’ve had an exceptionally difficult week and they found a way to win the game today with a couple of moments of real quality.”
With four league games remaining, AFC Bournemouth Women have the chance to go undefeated and win all 22 matches.
He said: “I don’t think we’re a group that wants to win the title today and then lose the next four league games.
“They’ll be hugely determined to try and go the whole season, which would be two seasons, undefeated.”
I think we just needed a bit of composure and belief in ourselves.
Midfielder Gemma McGuinness highlighted the team’s resolve in the second half after a nervy opening period in which Bristol Rovers created and missed a number of good chances.
She said: “We just kind of had to remind ourselves of the game plan and what we’re about.
“We calmed each other down. We knew we didn’t put in the best performance in the first half.
“I think we just needed a bit of composure and belief in ourselves.”
The match saw a record breaking attendance of 7,076 for a women’s match at the Vitality Stadium.
Cuss said: “It’s a really proud moment. I took on the women’s and girls’ programme as part of my community work in 2015.
“If you’d have said to me then that we’re going to win a title at tier four level in front of 7,000 people at the Vitality Stadium, it probably seemed a million miles away.”
McGuinness added: “The support is unbelievable, it means so much to us.”
Cherries Women clinch title in front of record-breaking crowd at Vitality Stadium