Bournemouth came out the traps the sharpest. They had an early shout for a handball waved away after the Sirens put bodies on the line and made several blocks from efforts inside the box.

It took ten minutes before the Sirens started to come into the game after some early pressure, Ball smartly beat her marker down the right before whipping a wicked cross across the box but no one was there to get on the end of it.

Not even a minute later, Lynn found a yard inside the box but her powerful effort went into the side netting.

The first-half was full of set-pieces, Bournemouth had lots of opportunities to put the ball in the box from free-kicks in and around the box. And that is exactly where their goal came from.

A free-kick from the half-way line was put into the box, which the Sirens failed to clear, and the ball fell nicely to their attacker just inside the penalty area and she placed her volley into the bottom left to give Bournemouth the lead.

The Sirens responded positively, Lynn won the ball back in her own half before hitting a beautiful switch to Ball on the right. She drove with the ball before unleashing an effort from outside the box which went just past the post.

The home side went into the break ahead.

After 56 minutes Bournemouth caught the Sirens on the break and managed to work an effort which thundered against the bar but after this the away side took control of the game.

Lynn picked the ball up on the edge of the area and tried getting a yard on her defender but her right footed shot from outside the box was blocked.

Moments later, a terrific through ball found Tedman down the right as she took the ball to the byline but as she cut the ball back there were no Siren attackers in the box supporting her.

Etheridge was called into action after 65 minutes as there was a volley from point blank range at the back post that she managed to somehow tip over the bar.

With 70 minutes on the clock the Sirens levelled up. Captain Mear rose highest at the back post from a terrific Kaur corner to equalise.

Sirens pushed hard in search of a winner, with substitutes Kirby and Coulter help create several opportunities.

With neither side able to find a winner in regular time, the match went to penalties.

Both teams started confidently, converting the first 12 penalties of the shootout. The tension mounted as each side traded successful penalties, but Tedman’s effort was saved, handing Bournemouth the advantage and ultimately the victory.

But it was a terrific second half performance that the Sirens can be proud of.