CHERRIES women hope that a team trip to an escape room will help them out of the FA Women’s National League Division One South ahead of their promotion decider with Exeter City this afternoon.

That is according to winger Gemma McGuinness, who revealed that Cherries took advantage of a spare Sunday last weekend for a bonding activity.

Cherries know that they must defeat league leaders Exeter City to secure the title and with it, promotion to the third tier.

Discussing the upcoming game, McGuinness shared: “I'm excited for it.

“Full focus on Sunday and getting every detail prepared for and ensuring that the squad, we’re ready together and had a good training session.

“We've had a good week of training so far and we’re ready for it.”

McGuinness then shared some of the side’s preparations for the Exeter game.

The Northern Ireland international continued: “We got a weekend off with no games, so we thought it was important to do something together and ensure that we are bonding as much as possible off the pitch.

“Because that really does reflect on the pitch and in training, how well we get on.

“I think that stood us the whole season, how well we do get on off the pitch.

“So on Sunday we headed to an escape room in Bournemouth and we were split into groups of three teams.

“It was good from a tactical perspective, we had to work together.

“You really started to see the characters come through on each of the team.

“So it was funny just to work together and have a laugh, and relax and enjoy those moments.

“I think we prepared as well for the week coming up.

“We had some good conversations, then we went out for food after.

“So it was nice, feels like it really helped.”

Asked if she was on a winning team, McGuinness replied: “I think I was, actually.

“We had some good teams, and there were two teams that completed it within the time, and one team, I think they did the harder one that they didn't get it finished, but I think they were impressed with us anyway.

“So we were told!”