Somerset Women’s Cup
Burnham-on-Sea 0, Yeovil & Sherborne 6

BURNHAM-ON-SEA ladies crashed out of the Somerset Cup to a Yeovil team to whom they had lost 5-4 in a close league encounter earlier in the season.

However, this team was packed with their first team players from the Premier Division, so the home side were up against it from the start.

Under relentless pressure, Burnham defended well for the first 20 minutes, with Sian Kelly dominant in her goal and Emma Ballard, Nicki Glanville and Tracey Dunn calmly sticking to their task.

Dunn saved one on the line and Ballard took a ball in the face protecting her post, but the Blues just could not hold on to the ball long enough to get past the halfway line and, once the inevitable first goal went in, a few more followed.

With the whole Yeovil team camped in their half, Burnham were 4-0 down at the break, but they regrouped and put in a superb second-half display.

To a player, they raised their game and supported each other all over the pitch, and were much quicker to the ball.

Defending from the front, Amy Edmundson, Carly Bush and Kerry Harvey never gave up trying to win and keep possession of the ball and created a few half-chances.

Sarah Johnson and Bush combined to almost set Edmundson through, and Hattie Lambourne went close from a Harvey cross, before Edmundson fired wide at a short corner as Burnham finally exerted some pressure on Yeovil.

Caroline Hunt and Ali Evely were excellent in midfield and Johnson was always available to link play, but once again it was the defence that took centre stage.

Along with Imogen Wright, who had replaced the injured Ballard, they fought for everything, never giving up and making countless blocks and tackles in and around the D to keep Yeovil out.

This appeared to be working until Yeovil were awarded a penalty flick – Glanville epitomising the Blues’ spirit by blocking a goal-bound shot on the line with her hand, dislocating her finger in the process.

Kelly went the right way but could not keep the ball out, although she still went on to make several more big saves afterwards.

With Ballard having to bravely return to the fray for Glanville, despite her own injury, Burnham continued to defend brilliantly as a team.

Dunn cleared another off the line before Yeovil breached their defences for a final time towards the end.

The player of the match award was shared between Tracey Dunn, Sian Kelly and Emma Ballard.

Burnham’s next match is after Christmas, but training (7-9pm on a Monday at King Alfred School) will continue until and including December 11, and then resume on January 8.