Boss Helen Bleazard was left to rue her side’s missed chances, with opportunities falling by the wayside to take the three points and they were left empty handed after Una Lue’s late sucker punch.
Reflecting on the game, Bleazard told the Daily Echo that the Cherries should have taken at least a point, if not more.
Read more:
“We've had our chances and, in my opinion, we should have won the game,” she said.
“It's an unbelievable save from Scads [Katie Scadding, for Lue’s goal] and they follow in and we don't.
“We talk about those details, but I mean, I'm incredibly proud of the group. We've had a really, really good week of training and I said to them then, I don't need to tell you what next week and the mentality and what we need from that.
(Image: Newsquest)
“I'm still pleased with our performance. I think we played really, really well.
“I think we had more chances than them. I think they've probably had that one shot in the second half and we've had four or five really, really good chances.
“And would a draw have been fair? Maybe.
“But I actually felt like we were dominant, and especially in that second half. I told them at halftime, we've had a really good first half, let's raise our standards again. And we did.
“The subs that came on as well did well. It's just, again, we talk about those, those fine details and those moments in the game, and this season sometimes they've gone our way and today it didn't.”
Bleazard was pleased with how her team responded to going a goal down in the first half, as they equalised just four minutes later through a Kelci Bowers header.
She praised her team’s mentality: “We were disappointed with how we conceded, but the bounce back and it's an unbelievable header from Kelci, which we've worked on certain things in set pieces as well.
(Image: Newsquest)
“And I feel like, again, they've adapted so well this year in terms of what I've asked from them.
“I never have to doubt their ability and their bounce-back ability and the mentality.
“So we went 1-0 down, but I always knew we'd be back in the game. And to go so quickly back in the game is really, really pleasing because it just brings that confidence and momentum your way.
“One right going into halftime where they almost scored again, and maybe we got a bit lucky on that one, but again, that's the moments in football, that you can ride the luck a little bit.
“I always felt like no matter how they set up, we had a plan B for it, which was really, really pleasing.
“The adaptability of the girls and just buying into what we're doing, you can really, really see what we're doing this season.
“Whether we come first, second, or third in the league, I'm super proud of them.”