AFC Bournemouth women win league title in front of record-breaking crowd

AFC Bournemouth women made it a day to remember as they sealed the league title in front of a record-breaking crowd at Vitality Stadium.

Goals from Jenna Markham and Katie James gave the Cherries a 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers, meaning they have won all 18 games in their FA Women’s National League campaign.

Their latest triumph meant they lifted the Division One South West Crowd in front of 7,076 people – the largest crowd for a women’s game in club history.

Speaking in a post-match press conference, forward Gemma McGuinness said: “We were together the whole time, we had a game plan and, with our quality, we are a decent side and we are able to keep showing up.

“The support has been unbelievable and it means so much to us. When we are out there and things aren’t going our way, it takes a look up at the crowd to see what it means to them and our family.

“It helps so much and we are incredibly grateful for the support we had. To see those crowd numbers rise is class.

“It is all about channelling the emotions. We have a lot of experienced players who can help calm the team and to remind ourselves that ultimately it’s just a game of football.

“That is what we’ve been doing game-on-game throughout this season. It can be hard to keep focused, but we have the staff and supporters to keep us focussed on days like this.”

The Cherries could go on to seal a treble of trophies this season, having also reached the final of the National League Plate and Hampshire Senior Cup.