Argyle lost by a heartbreaking single goal in their FAWNL Cup Final against AFC Bournemouth at MATRADE Loftus Road.
Kenni Thompson struck an early corner straight into the net and, despite Argyle's efforts, especially late in the second half, the Greens could not find the leveller.
Argyle made two changes from the side that won 2-1 at Bournemouth in the league six days earlier. Arabella Suttie, who missed that game through injury, came back into central defence, with Tamara Wilcock also returning, playing in midfield.
Suttie was partnered by Katie Wilson, the pair flanked by Caitlin Smith and Roisin Kivel, all in front of goalkeeper Hermione Cull. Layla Proctor and Ellie Noble began the game as the holding midfielders, with Wilcock in front of them. Tianna Teisar played from the left flank, Olivia Francis on the right, and Phoebie Poole through the middle.
Bournemouth got off to a great start, with Elena Cole taking a potshot from distance and clattering the crossbar after just four minutes. Within three more, they were in front. One corner from the right from Thompson turned into another and, from the second, she curled over everyone and straight into the far corner of the net without touching a soul.
Argyle’s answer was a shot from Teisar shortly afterwards, on target, and saved by Katie Scadding, and so the game found a pattern.
For the most part, Argyle were the more organised, showed good patterns of play, won lots of 50/50 battles and earned free-kicks. But they seldom looked like scoring.
Bournemouth had the ball less frequently, but they looked more likely to scored the second goal of the game during the moments when they were on top. Sophie Quirk’s free-kick put Cull to work, and pink shirts swarmed looking for the follow-up. Argyle held out, with Noble getting an important block in.
Noble sent in a few dead-balls into the area which Bournemouth dealt with, and Poole, who was Argyle’s standout player in the first period, had a shot from range which reminded Scadding she was in a game, without unduly stretching her.
The final action of the half was the lively Quirk, dancing past a couple of defenders and drawing a good save from Cull, away to her right.
Argyle made two half-time changes, bringing on Paris Dalton and Ella Stephens for Wilcock and Smith.
It seemed to make little initial impact; Bournemouth bossed the opening quarter-hour of the second half, with Argyle making few inroads and seeing little of the ball. Quirk had another shot, saved by Cull, and moments later the same player nearly got on the end of a Jenna Markham cross.
However, just past the hour mark, Argyle started to look like getting their equaliser. At one point, they thought they had it.
A well-worked corner found Stephens on the edge of the area and, when her shot was spilled, was knocked home by Poole. However, she was flagged offside.
Despite not counting, having the ball in the net seemed to inspire the Greens. Poole had another shot on target, before a nice move down the right saw Stephens release Francis, and her deflected cross just evaded Poole and Teisar at the far post.
Almost immediately, at the other end, Quirk’s deflected effort almost wrong-footed Cull, who did well to shift her feet and save.
The approach down the right worked again for the Pilgrims, with Francis running round the outside and crossing., The ball was just beyond Teisar, but Noble got there, only to turn the ball onto the post.
The remainder of the second half was all Argyle, but they simply could not find the net. Wilson’s effort deep into stoppage time was the final act, and the final whistle signalled elation for Bournemouth, who have gone through the competition without conceding a goal in the knockout stages.
Congratulations to them. For Argyle, it is back to Home Park next Sunday for a game against Oxford United with huge promotion ramifications.
Argyle: 1 Hermione Cull, 6 Layla Proctor, 9 Phoebie Poole, 11 Roisin Kivel (capt), 14 Katie Wilson, 15 Tamara Wilcock (17 Paris Dalton, half-time), 18 Caitlin Smith (16 Ella Stephens, half-time), 19 Ellie Noble, 23 Olivia Francis, 24 Tianna Teisar (7 Charlotte Whitmore, 84), 26 Arabella Suttie. Substitutes: 21 Eilish Brogan (gk), 5 Giota Papaioannou, 29 Chloe Ingrouille, 30 Shana Dolbel.
