Bleazard and Quirk praise performance in women’s FA Cup exit

The AFC Bournemouth Women were beaten 6-0 by WSL leaders Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

Head coach Helen Bleazard and striker Sophie Quirk were left pleased with the Cherries’ performance after they were knocked out of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

The visitors showed their class as ‘Bunny’ Shaw, Vivienne Miedema, and Laura Coombs all scored.

Euro 2024 winners Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp also featured with Hemp also getting on the scoresheet.

It was a historic game for the Cherries as it was the first time they had reached the fourth round of the competition and the first time they had played a team in the WSL.

Despite the result, head coach Helen Bleazard and the team were pleased overall with the performance against tough opposition.

Reacting to the game, Bleazard said: “We know the levels Man City are at and they’re in the form of their life at the minute.

“Those first 40 minutes were something, as a team, you could take a lot of pride in.”

Striker Sophie Quirk impressed many with her performance on Sunday. She was left pleased  with her teammates after the game.

“I’m just so proud of our performance. I wouldn’t say the scoreline necessarily reflects it.

“I think everyone all across the pitch with our work rate, we matched them.

“When you’re on the counterattack, you are a bit surrounded. We did our best.”

Despite the result, the Cherries are taking their performance into future games.

Bleazard said: “I said to them that they were going to struggle but there was going to be moments where we would thrive.

“I said the main thing is that you do it together. That’s the biggest thing for me today because sometimes you can be frustrated with your teammates.

“There were moments where things weren’t going right today and the girls getting together, being each other’s extra 20%. They were superb.”

Quirk echoed these comments: “It’s the work rate. It’s the desire and the communication.

“Every single person, the players that came on and the players that didn’t. The communication and the togetherness. We can definitely take that forward.”

The AFC Bournemouth Women look ahead to the National League Cup when they play Swindon on Sunday.