IN THIS second of a trilogy of games with local rivals Blackburn, Burnley again came out on top against a spirited Rovers team.

The young Clarets were soon on the attack and only a good save from the Blackburn keeper Laura Ennis prevented Danielle Cooper from scoring. Cooper soon put her name on the scoresheet when she received a superb pass from Katie Chedotal and dribbled past two players before hitting a great shot into the top corner to make it 1-0.

Within minutes Blackburn equalised when Kellie Leyland brought down Holly Thompson inside the penalty box.

Player of the match Catherine Beaver dived to her left to make a brilliant save only for Lyndsey Brassington to react the quickest and knock in the rebound to make it 1-1 at half time.

Burnley started the second half the brighter and soon took the lead when the industrious Holly Pointon sent a great through ball for Cooper. She tapped it left-footed past the stranded keeper to give the Clarets the lead. Blackburn came back strongly and only good defending by the ever-reliable Sarah Halsall, Kellie Leyland, Donna Millar, Louise Hartley and the keeper Beaver, who had to make several good saves, prevented Blackburn from equalising. The Blackburn captain Charlotte Holden was troubling Burnley with some great corners and from one such corner, a Blackburn striker from close range missed a golden opportunity to equalise.

Burnley increased their lead when some great inter-play between Stephanie Meeks and Pointon allowed Meeks to send another great through ball which Cooper latched onto, beating two defenders and the advancing keeper to the ball before calmly chipping a goal which gave her a well-deserved hat-trick.

Late in the game, the versatile Amy Bamber came on for the hard-working Chedotal. Blackburn never gave up and in the last minute Holden stormed down the left wing and hit a scorcher from 20 yards that gave Beaver no chance.

Burnley team: Beaver, Hartley, Halsall, Leyland, Millar, Thompson, Pointon, Cooke, Meeks, Cooper, Chedotal. Subs: R Brown, A Bamber.

Burnley Girls' next game is against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday at St Mary's College (kick-off 10.30am).

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