Nearly 6,000 fans in attendance at Bournemouth women game as Cherries go top | OneFootball

There was just under 6,000 fans in attendance at the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday night as Bournemouth women went top of the league. 

The Cherries played their first game of the season at the men’s stadium and there was a near-record attendance for the team.

Bournemouth women go top at Vitality

Bournemouth went top of the Southern Premier division with a win against Oxford United.

Early goals from Charlotte Harris and Sophie Quirk were enough to seal all three points despite a late strike from Oxford’s Shaunna Jenkins.

Match-winner Quirk spoke to media after the game and credited Bournemouth’s ’12th player’ in the stands.

“It was a brilliant game and a brilliant atmosphere. To get the three points against an established tier-three team is unbelievable,” Quirk said. “It was such a good team performance. Everyone ran their socks off and it was brilliant.

“We have such a special togetherness around the team and that can get you so far. It’s that extra 12th player in the game. You can’t measure it but it’s such an important part.”

There was 5,850 fans in attendance at the Vitality on Wednesday for the Cherries’ first game of the season at the stadium.

Last time Bournemouth played at the men’s ground was at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. The South Coast side won promotion in their final game of the campaign.

Thursday’s win sent Bournemouth top of the league after Watford dropped points against Real Bedford.

The Cherries are only top on goal difference for now and they face Wimbledon and Bedford in their next two games.

Nobody in the Southern Premier wants to face Bournemouth right now, with Helen Bleazard’s side on an incredible 13-game unbeaten run in the league.

Bleazard served as interim manager over the summer but was given the job full-time at the start of this season.

Promotion looks to be on the cards for Bournemouth this year and they are the current favourites to win the league after taking over at the top of the table.