CHERRIES’ women side huffed and puffed but could not find a way through a resilient Maidenhead United, playing out a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium.

Steve Cuss’s charges played well but lacked a scoring touch in their last home game of the FA Women’s National League South West, played in front of a record crowd of 3,067.

Megan Halfacree gave Katie Scadding a scare when her attempt from an audacious angle out wide dipped just over the Cherries goal.

Amber Treweek was strong in the tackle throughout the game, and she made a vital stop to deny Natali Cowell spinning and fire a shot off inside the box.

The best chance of the half fell to Elle Elkins at the back post. Molly Gladwell’s cross from the other flank found Elkins, but she could not sort out her feet to register an effort on target.

Jess Treweek managed to send the rebound goalwards from range, forcing the ball to be tipped over by Gemma Harvey in the Maidenhead goal.

Full-back Abby Jones strode down the left flank, beating multiple defenders before arriving at the byline to fling a cross into the box. However, there was no one there to convert.

Just before the break, Maidenhead’s Bethan Poole blasted over from just outside the six-yard box.

The second half followed much in the pattern of the first 45 minutes, with Cherries putting moves together without finding a finish.

Gladwell forced a low save out of Maidenhead keeper Harvey at a corner worked short, before Scadding held a Natalie Cowell effort well down the other end.

Cherries captain Maisy Smith did well to win the ball back in the middle of the pitch, threading a ball through to Lucy Cooper.

One-on-one with Harvey, the Maidenhead goalie flew out of goal to tackle and clear the danger.

Elkins then had a volley from the edge of the area blocked by Cowell, Cherries ramping up the pressure in search of a goal.

Moments after coming on, Kristina MacKinnon almost grabbed a debut goal at a goalmouth scramble, but there too many bodies in the way of her close-range effort.

With 13 minutes remaining, Cherries would gain a numerical advantage as Maidenhead’s Halfacree picked up a second yellow and a subsequent red.

Fripp headed a corner directly at Harvey, before Jess Treweek drew the best save of the game out of the Maidenhead goalkeeper.

Cherries boss Cuss made a triple sub in hopes of finding a winner, which prompted a flurry of activity in the away team’s penalty area.

Cooper stabbed wide at a corner via deflection, which led to another scramble in the box that Maidenhead just about dealt with.

Cherries: Scadding, Jones, Smith (Hughes, 84), Elkins (MacKinnon, 69), Cooper, Fripp, J Treweek (Francis, 84), Elliott (Topping, 84), A Treweek, Gladwell, Mortimer.

Unused sub: Humphrey.