AFC BOURNEMOUTH moved top of the National League Division One South West with a thumping 8-0 win over Portishead Town on Sunday.
Jenna Markham netted a second half hattrick to fire the club to an emphatic win, moving above Swindon Town who drew 4-4 with Moneyfields.
Katie James, Phoebe Williams and Maisy Smith also scored, while prolific Erin Bloomfield got two goals to bring her tally to 18 for the season – with Markham’s trio bringing her level with her teammate.
In keeping a clean sheet, Erin Foley has now gone more than ten hours without conceding a goal in the Cherries’ sixth consecutive shutout.
Bournemouth made a flying start with Markham and Gemma McGuinness hitting the bar early on, in a sign of things to come.
But Williams made a crucial goal line clearance at the other end to keep it at 0-0, before James made the breakthrough for the Cherries.
The midfielder finished over keeper Bea Gitsham from Chloe Gilroy’s cross to net her seventh goal in as manyWilliams doubled the Bournemouth lead in sensational style, finishing into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Smith notched her first goal of the season three minutes before half time, giving Gitsham no chance in the Portishead net.
On the stroke of half time it was four, as Bloomfield was picked out by Gilroy and squeezed a shot into the bottom corner, adding her 13th goal in her past seven games.
It took six minutes of the second period for the Cherries to extend their lead, Markham opening her account for the afternoon, converting from McGuinness’s cross from a tight angle.
The forward had her second of the game after pouncing on a loose ball to make it 6-0 from close range, after Gitsham spilled McGuinness’s effort three minutes later.
James saw her effort saved by Gitsham before the stopper made a couple of good saves to keep out Gilroy and Bloomfield.
But Bloomfield completed her brace in the 78th minute and made it 7-0, prodding home Gilroy’s cross, which was her third assist of the game.
With eight minutes to play, Markham completed her hattrick, latching onto a ball through from substitute Kristina MacKinnon and finding the bottom corner.
The victory sees the Cherries move to nine wins from nine games and to 27 points, moving above Swindon in the National League.
The Robins are second on 26 points, but have played two games more than the Cherries at the top of the table.
Bournemouth also have the best goal difference in the league of 47, having netted 49 goals and conceding just twice.
It was Bournemouth’s 11th consecutive win in all competitions.
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