Argyle, who are second in the table, opened up a six-point gap over Bournemouth with that victory, sealed with a stoppage-time winner.
While the Cherries have two games in hand, they know they must win the remainder of their games to ensure they are in contention for the WSL2 promotion playoff.
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Una Lue’s goal proved decisive, after Kelci Bowers had cancelled out Phoebie Poole’s opener for the visitors in the first half.
Cole believes Bournemouth were the better team on the day at Ringwood, but they lacked the clinical finishing.
(Image: Newsquest)
“I think first half, I thought, if I'm completely honest, we battered them,” she told the Daily Echo.
“Just can't finish our dinner again. It seems to be a pattern now.
“And then obviously then the second half, we grew into the game. We had a lot of momentum from the first half going into halftime.
“But I don't think we had that amount of momentum in the second half that we did in the first half. But I still think we did really well.”
She continued: “I think we had a lot of momentum after our goal.
“I thought we were going to score three or four goals, if I'm completely honest, with the momentum.
“Again, like I said before, we just need to be clinical and take our chances because obviously that comes down to the last hurdle like it did today.”
The equation for the Cherries is now clear – they need to win their two games in hand, ideally with better than a plus four goal difference, to move back above Plymouth and into second position.
(Image: Newsquest)
They then will need to match Plymouth’s results in the final two games of the campaign, to finish in the top two of the league and qualify for the playoff.
Bournemouth may be left to rue their draws against Exeter City earlier this month and Hashtag United at the start of 2026, as well as their defeat to Oxford United in February.
“Even before the Exeter game, we knew we had to win every single game for us to at least win the league,” Cole said.
“But obviously now that's not the case. Drawing against Exeter and Hashtag where we relatively, not being biased, should have won both of them games.
“It's just really frustrating because we knew we were the better team in both games, knew we should have won, and obviously that would put us into a better position in the league, of course.
“But yeah, now we know we have to win every single game. There's no like beating around the bush.
“We have to win every single game, and I think I think we're a group that can do that.
“Pressure's a good thing. So yeah, we just got to show why we should be in WSL2 next season.”