ARGYLE Ladies got their title charge back on track with a stunning 3-1 victory at second placed Bournemouth. The win keeps them in third place in the SW Combination Women's League, but they have closed the gap on Bournemouth to four points and hold a massive five games in hand. It also cranks up the pressure on leaders Reading, who the Pilgrims are still due to play.

It was a depleted looking Argyle who arrived in Hampshire for this must-win game, with young utility player Chynna Evans unavailable, and the injury-prone Helen Kukor suffering from the latest in a catalogue of niggling injuries and new signing Katie Barker ineligible. With the reserve team fixture cancelled late on Saturday evening, Carmen Thornton was promoted, in addition to young Centre of Excellence player Rebecca McMullan for her first senior game, with Vicky Barter and Rhianne Parsons given rare starts.

With criticism of their performance from the previous week ringing in their ears, the Greens flew out of the blocks, and looked a shadow of the side who performed so poorly in atrocious conditions at Yeovil. Possession and territory was quickly going in favour of the young side in a change of formation.

The Pilgrims started to look dangerous and put the home side under good early pressure. This fast start paid dividends on 22 minutes when the recalled Barter nutmegged a Bournemouth player on the goal-line and cut the ball back to top-scorer Chloe Roberts who wrong-footed a defender before firing low inside the near post for a precious lead. 

One became two only eight minutes later as the orchestrator turned finisher as Barter finished well in a crowded penalty area following a dangerous Laura Perrett corner.

With Aoife Aherne and Becky Atkins preventing Bournemouth playmaker and league top-scorer Lisa Langrish from having any real effect on the game, the home side were reduced to relying on set-pieces for a way back into the game, but the match was effectively over only three minutes into the second half when Aherne fed Roberts on the edge of the box who subsequently sent a stunning shot high into the roof of the net for Argyle's third and her 28th goal of a prolific season.

Bournemouth now had to go for broke as a defeat would have ended their slim chances of winning the league and the only available promotion place to the FA Premier Leagues. With dual-signed Bristol Academy player Justine Lorton dropping deeper, she began to have a greater influence on proceedings and the home side started to come more into the game.

The arrears were reduced on the hour mark when winger Chrystal German fired across Jade Tregale and inside the far post, and this resulted in a sustained period of pressure from the home side.

 However, the home side were forced to attempt hurried half chances on numerous occasions, with the outstanding Jemma Rose proving to be priceless for the Pilgrims in both defence, and in distributing the ball quickly to set up counter attacks.

Langrish herself missed a glorious chance at the death but shot high over the bar, and Roberts could have grabbed a deserved hat-trick but home keeper Rachel Simkin blocked her shot on the edge of the box. However, the joy at the final whistle was evident as the three points went to the Pilgrims, with a result and performance that suggest that they are back in form and ready for a tense title run-in.

Manager Ryan Thomas stated his delight after the game. He said: "We had a few missing, and had to change the formation, but I thought we were excellent today - especially in the first half. Bournemouth are a very good footballing side, and we tend to play well against opposition of that kind.

"However, with only 1 promotion place up for grabs, you sometimes need to win ugly against some of the more direct sides, so we will have to learn how to do that fairly quickly as this season gets even more exciting. We are still in with a chance of winning all three competitions, and the vast majority of the squad are looking fit and hungry. A lot of credit for this must go to our Sport Scientist Mike Charlick from Marjons, who has been increasing the general fitness levels of the squad for the past few months. It is beginning to pay real dividends."

As Argyle chase the historic league, league cup and county cup treble, league action will be put on hold next week as they face Team Weston at home in the semi-finals of the league cup. Kick-off at Bolitho Park is 2.00pm and entrance is just a pound.

Argyle: Tregale, Lake, Hine, Aherne, Middleton, Rose, Atkins (Thornton 80 mins), Perrett, Parsons, Roberts, Barter (McMullan 75 mins)

Goals: Roberts 2, Barter

Player of the Match: Close call as Roberts was excellent in a lone-striking role, but Jemma Rose was simply outstanding when the pressure was on.