CHERRIES women continued their pre-season preparations with a competitive battle against Championship Portsmouth.

Pompey compete two leagues higher than Steve Cuss’s side, but trailed 2-1 to goals from Gemma McGuinness and Jenna Markham, before battling back to run out 4-2 winners.

Portsmouth took the lead inside the first minute inside the dome at Cherries’ new training ground at Canford. Daisy McLachlan’s effort looped over goalkeeper Katie Scadding and in.

Pompey then dominated possession, but were stunned as Cherries scored twice inside 60 seconds to take the lead.

McGuinness equalised, turning in from a Molly Gladwell corner. Summer signing Markham then fired past Hannah Haughton, after good work from Phoebe Williams.

McGuiness and Erin Bloomfield both struck the woodwork, before Pompey scored twice quickly themselves to lead at half-time, the goals coming from Emma Jones and Annie Rolf.

Both managers made a number of substitutions after the restart, Portsmouth adding a fourth goal late on through Meg Hornby.

Cherries host Exeter City at Ringwood Community Hub on Sunday (2pm), a week before the league season begins.

Cherries: Scadding (Kosinska, 64), Venditto (Bowers, h-t), Treweek (Humphreys, 64), Jones (Smith, h-t), Hall (James, h-t), Williams (Jones, 70), Hillier (Strippel, h-t), McGuinness (Elkins, h-t), Gladwell (McGuinness, 70), Bloomfield (Buckingham, h-t), Markham (Gilroy, h-t).