REIGNING Hampshire Senior Cup champions Cherries took another step in the defence of their crown by defeating Moneyfields to reach the final of the competition.

After a goalless encounter that saw Cherries have an effort ruled out in either half, Steve Cuss’s side kept their nerve from the spot to advance 5-3 winners on penalties.

Molly Barron-Clark, Erin Bloomfield, Alisha Buckingham, Kenni Thompson and Gemma Hillier were all spot on as Cherries advanced to a third-successive Hampshire Senior Cup final.

Bloomfield thought she had opened scores on 10 minutes when she nodded home from Lucy Cooper’s cross, but a foul in the build-up saw the potential opener chalked off.

Alisha Buckingham also saw a goal ruled out in the second period, her strike 12 minutes from time denied by the offside flag.

AFC Bournemouth: Scadding; Smith, Treweek, Fripp (Venditto, h-t), Jones (Humphreys, h-t); James (Barron-Clark h-t), Buckingham, McGuinness (Hillier, h-t), Gilroy; Bloomfield, Cooper (Thompson, h-t).