Kenni Thompson corner seals FAWNL Cup victory for AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth Women secured a close 1-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the FA Women’s National League Cup final, despite strong opposition from the Pilgrims, who created opportunities throughout both halves and caused problems for the Cherries.
Forward, Kenni Thompson broke the deadlock in the seventh minute of the first half from a corner in favour of the Cherries, who looked composed and controlled when she crossed into the box and headed it in, giving them the lead.
It was a feisty affair, with both teams attempting to assert dominance and create opportunities in the final third, but it was ultimately Bournemouth who remained victorious in the end.
The Build Up
Bournemouth headed into the final in fine form, dominant across all competitions, currently in second place in the FA Women’s National League playoffs as well as in the Cup itself, having conceded no goals throughout the tournament.
However, Plymouth had the upper hand as they defeated Bournemouth 2-1 in the league: a match which almost acted as the dress rehearsal for the Final. The Pilgrims were certain to carry that momentum. But mixed results in the league and Cup left the team with questions over their title push and their chances of promotion.
Pilgrim’s head coach, Marie Hourihan, appointed at the start of the season, has overseen a noticeable shift in structure and competitiveness within the squad. With her direct playing style, they have climbed into the top three in the league, sitting ahead of Bournemouth, with only six points between them.
Hourihan previously reached the final twice with Stoke City before losing to Nottingham Forest in 2025, with Helen Bleazard winning the FA Women’s National Plate as a player for Bournemouth two weeks before becoming manager of the club.
This fixture marked the first time that both sides reached the final. With so much at stake, this match was definitely one for the history books.
First half
Raring to go after the defeat by Plymouth in the league, Bournemouth started off brightly, creating chances in the box, immediately testing and challenging the Pilgrims’ defence.
The Cherries remained in control for most of the half, with chances by Elena Cole and Jenna Markham proving dangerous for the Greens, who kept them at bay.
Their defence proved solid only until the seventh minute, when Thompson curled the ball into the back of the net from a corner kick, putting Bournemouth ahead.
The Greens attempted to equalise soon after, pressing higher up on the pitch and looking to exploit pockets of space, but the Cherries' backline remained largely untested, with several attempts flying over the bar or going out wide.
Plymouth goalkeeper Hermione Cull remained quiet for most of the half, when Bournemouth struck again late on, determined to get the advantage. The Cherries continued to break down the Pilgrims, but nothing came of it, leaving the score 1-0 at the break.
Half time: AFC Bournemouth Women 1-0 Plymouth Argyle Women.
Second half
Bournemouth continued their strong momentum after half-time, pressing high and looking to exploit the Pilgrims’ weaknesses, but lacked a clinical finish. Markham came closest to doubling the lead, hitting the post twice, but could not get much space past Cull.
There was a bit of elation late in the half when the Cherries struck again, but it was ruled out for offside. They remained consistent, continuing to attempt to break down the Greens, who were largely solid defensively.
However, Bournemouth stayed comfortable throughout, dominating Plymouth’s attempts going forward. Despite creating further chances, the Cherries were unable to make it 2-0, with efforts going over the bar and twice striking the woodwork.
Their unbeaten streak in the competition finished on a high as they claimed the Cup for the first time, cementing the team as history makers.
Full-time: AFC Bournemouth Women 1-0 Plymouth Argyle Women.
Post-match
Speaking about the team’s mentality and performance throughout the competition and winning the Cup, Bournemouth forward and winning goalscorer, Thompson said:
“We are a very strong team. It doesn’t matter who we play, we back ourselves to win on the day, and I think it’s been a long season, and to come and get this win today and win this trophy is something that’s going to push us on for the rest of the season.
Absolutely amazing. I mean, we fought so hard this season, especially with the disappointment last week, we’ve wanted to prove a point today, and we’ve definitely done that. So to come away with the trophy is incredible.
Yeah, in terms of last week, we were just ironing out a little few details, and we backed ourselves last week to go out and get the win, and unfortunately, we didn’t get it, but we knew it was going to be a similar game plan, and we just had to bring 100% of our game today, as it’s all about winning.
We know the level of players that we have in our squad, and we know that on our day, we can beat anyone. And so it’s just how we turn up on the day, and today we did that.”
What's Next?
Bournemouth continue their FAWNL campaign with a home fixture against AFC Wimbledon at the Ringwood Community Hub Stadium on the 5th of April (14:00 KO), while Plymouth take on Oxford United at the same time (14:00 KO) on Sunday 6th of April at Home Park.