AFC Bournemouth Women have secured the Women’s National League Division One South West title after beating Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Vitality Stadium.
Goals from player of the match Jenna Markham and Katie James helped the Cherries reach the National League Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history.
The match was also the club’s biggest ever attendance at a women’s match, at 7,076 supporters.
The Gas Girls didn’t make it easy for Bournemouth, but the Cherries proved too strong for Nathan Hallett-Young’s side.
AFC Bournemouth are unbeaten in the division for more than two years and are the only team in the Women’s National League structure not to drop a point this season.
Steve Cuss’ side rectified last season’s final day draw heartbreak against Exeter City, which cost them promotion despite being invincible.
Both teams looked nervous in possession in the first half, but Bournemouth found early joy down the right-hand side, with several crosses just not finding a forward in the box.
Rovers’ first chance came in the ninth minute, a pinpoint perfect cross by Daisy Ackerman into Megan Jarvis, who poked it narrowly round the post.
A collision between Gemma McGuinness and Rovers’ goalkeeper Georgina Hunt saw a short stoppage in the 12th minute, but both players were able to continue.
Heavy Rovers pressure led to a strike by Chloe Bassett hitting the post from just inside the box and Ackerman unable to convert the rebound.
Bournemouth struck back with a corner by Molly Barron-Clark directly hitting the far post, before a header by McGuinness struck the post again.
The breakthrough came in the 34th minute, with the masked Jenna Markham getting on the end of a loose pass-back by Bassett, and slotting home past Hunt.
A late first half chance for the cherries came from a cross by McGuinness, which ricocheted into Erin Bloomfield, who couldn’t keep her shot down.
Chloe Gilroy was replaced by Ellie Strippel at half-time, before an early chance for Bloomfield was foiled by Buxton in the six-yard box.
Markham had the ball in the net again in the 52nd minute, but her curling effort was ruled out for offside.
Captain Abby Jones was replaced by Kelci Bowers just after the hour mark, before Bloomfield came off for Ali Hall shortly after a handball shout in the Rovers’ box.
Bournemouth doubled their lead in the 67th minute, with super-sub Strippel finding Katie James at the back post, tapping it home.
McGuinness was replaced by Charlotte Harris in the 76th minute, before Bournemouth went close again with Strippel hitting the outside of the Gas Girls’ post.
Rovers’ best chance of the half came through Megan Jarvis, whose shot deep in the Cherries’ box was cut out by substitute Bowers.
Bournemouth goal-scorer Markham was replaced late on by Ali Hall, to a standing ovation by the home crowd.
The win means Bournemouth will play tier three football next season in the National League Southern Premier Division, and remain on the chase to retain their Hampshire Women’s Senior Cup.
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