It was third against first going into Sunday’s FA Women’s National League Southern Premier Division game at Home Park, but nothing could separate Argyle and AFC Bournemouth on the day.
Despite the affair presenting no goals and the points being shared, both sides hunted, caused issues for their opponents, and had chances in front of goal over the 90 minutes of football in PL2.
Bournemouth came into the encounter top of the division, with five wins and a draw from their six games. Argyle, for their part, had lost just one of their six. Both sides had conceded just three goals, the joint-best defensive records in the league. And this did not change.
Argyle started immediately on the front foot, winning a free kick in a testing position, with Olivia Francis being dragged back whilst driving forward. The resulting set-piece was defended well by the visitors and set the tone for the game that would ensue.
For the next 10 minutes, it was all Bournemouth. Attacking down both flanks and through the middle, chances were created in threatening areas from the Cherries, falling to Gemma McGuinness and Jemma Markham, but neither could cause any major issues for Hermione Cull or the Greens’ defence.
Some tidy footwork and ball speed presented Argyle, and more specifically Phoebie Poole, their first dangerous chance inside Bournemouth’s 18-yard box, but the forward’s right-footed effort was blocked well by a player in red and black.
For the remainder of the half, it was like watching a game of tennis. Both sides charged forward, struggled in front of goal, and then turned around and sprinted back to defend their precious final third.
McGuinness was shown a yellow card, just before the half-hour mark, for a late challenge on Ellie Noble, with the next action being Roisin Kivel’s cross-cum-shot skimming the bar on its way out of play on the opposite flank.
After the restart, Argyle kicked into a gear that surprised the visiting side. Poole had a shot blocked away for a corner, potentially with a hand, which sent all players in green and the home fans shouting at referee Jordan Lee to award a penalty, but he was unfazed.
From the set-piece, Noble nearly found the goal all were hoping for. A short-corner routine found the midfielder inside the area, with her flicked header running only just wide of the far post.
The next key chance also fell to Noble, just after the hour mark. Kivel was brought down by Freya Meadows Tuson on the edge of the area, setting up the Greens’ number 19 to strike towards goal. Erin Foley punched the ball away from goal well, with Katie Wilson unable to turn the follow-up on target, ending the threat.
Bournemouth then looked to their bench, attempting to change the game, and they turned to former-Pilgrim Georgia Wilson.
Argyle continued to power on, dominating possession and moving the ball extremely well. Lovely team build-up play ended with Kivel picking up the ball inside the box, but she was unable to get her effort at goal on target, handing the visitors a goal kick.
More substitutions followed for the South Coast side, but it could not stop the momentum Argyle held. The Greens' best chance of the game came in the 80th minute, when a free-kick delivery from Charlotte Whitmore picked out Katie Wilson eight yards out from goal.
The defender, tussling with a player in red and black, got a foot on the ball but sliced it away from goal, causing no issues for Foley and the recovering defensive line.
In the final minutes, the pressure shifted, and it was applied heavily on Argyle. First, Markham found herself in acres of space in the box after creative play from Sophie Quirk on the left wing, but somehow put her effort over the bar and out of play.
The next, and final, chance came just seconds before the full-time whistle. Bournemouth attacked down the left and fired a cross into the box, towards a diving Cull. The Greens’ number one pushed the ball away, but into a cluster of bodies, with the ricochet bouncing the ball back towards an open goal.
Luckily for Argyle, defender Katie Wilson was on deck to clear the ball off the line and away from goal. Had she not, Kelci Bowers was arriving behind, ready to tap home and steal victory.
The whistle sounded, and the points were shared after a goalless affair. However, this was by no means a boring game. It was a great spectacle of FA Women’s National League football.
