BURNLEY edged a nail-biting derby Cup-tie win over Blackburn, who to their credit, never gave up the battle.

Blackburn had started the brighter in this enthralling evenly-contested game, but tidy defending from the Burnley defence of Louise Hartley, Sarah Halsall, Kellie Leyland and Donna Millar kept the Rovers at bay.

After some excellent midfield play, Blackburn tested the Burnley keeper Catherine Beaver. The alert Beaver quickly released the ball to Thompson who played a short ball to allow Pointon who went close from 20 yards.

From a Burnley throw-in deep in the Rovers half, Katie Chedotal passed to Danielle Cooper who jinked past one player, slipped another before beating the keeper with a great strike. On the stroke of half time, the Rovers captain Charlotte Holden outran the Burnley defence and hit an unstoppable shot to equalise.

Early in the second half, pacy Lisa Thompson beat the defenders and superbly chipped the advancing keeper to make it 2-1 to the Clarets.

Blackburn came back strongly and had several chances, but good defending by player of the match Leyland, and good goalkeeping from Beaver, kept the Clarets in front. Rebecca Brown came on for the injured Sam Cooke and soon made her presence known in midfield with some great tackles. Another good ball from the excellent Millar was picked up by Thompson who was strongly tackled in the penalty area with only the keeper to beat. With 10 minutes to go, Stephanie Meeks hit a great through ball to the advancing Cooper who beat the offside trap and calmly stroked the ball past the keeper from 10 yards.

Burnley kept pushing forward and Pointon, Thompson and Cooper combined well to go close. Rovers rallied, and with five minutes to go, scored a great goal when a good cross was met perfectly by the Blackburn midfielder Kelly Willing gave Beaver no chance with a superb volley from five yards to ensure a nail-biting finish.

Burnley squad: Beaver, Hartley, Halsall, Leyland, Millar, Thompson, Pointon, Cooke, Meeks, Cooper (capt), Chedotal. Subs; Brown, Bamber.

The next home game is against Blackburn Rovers at Queen's Park, Burnley, on Sunday (kick-off 10.30am).

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