MINEHEAD Ladies mixed their teams on Saturday to play a home friendly against Tiverton White Eagles and came out 9-3 on top after a comfortable team performance.

Playing a mix of first and second team players, they found themselves a goal down within the first five minutes.

But after that they began to pass the ball around and levelled the scores when Georgia Perkins slotted home in a one-on-one with the keeper.

Perkins was soon on the scoresheet again after a well-worked short corner, and Denise Lancaster made it 3-0 when she converted a fine cross from Charlotte Taylor.

Minehead kept up the pressure and a well-timed pass from Naomi Trunks found Lancaster and she made it 4-1, then just before half-time she completed her hat-trick after being put in by Perkins.

The second half saw Minehead create more chances, and Hazel Binding was next to find the back of the net after a goalmouth scramble.

White Eagles managed to pull a goal back to make it 6-2 but the lead was extended once more after a pull-back by Hannah Sparks found Rachael Speed and she hit across for Perkins to finish.

With the game stretched and play more end to end, the visitors scored their third goal to make it 7-3 with ten minutes to go.

Minehead hit back when a loose ball rebounded to Perkins and she scored her fourth goal of the game, then with little time left on the lock, captain Hannah Sparks added the final goal from a cross by Emily Bland.

Player of the match was four-goal Georgia Perkins.

Minehead II 1

Taunton Vale IV 7

After a difficult week organising teams, Minehead Ladies II managed to scrape together the bare 11 players, with a number coming out of retirement, to face Taunton Vale IV at home on Saturday February 6.

And despite the courageous efforts of the whole team, Taunton scored first after a goalmouth scramble and by half-time had taken a 4-0 lead.

Minehead came out for the second half with renewed determination and were soon rewarded with a penalty flick, but a good save by the Taunton keeper stopped them narrowing the gap.

They continued to press but the Taunton defence remained strong and a good clearance put them back on the attack, with a battle in the Minehead 25 resulting in the ball taking a deflection of a Minehead stick into the net.

Now 5-0 down, Minehead continued to fight and were finally rewarded with a goal when a strike from Naomi Trunks found a gap in the defence.

But their celebrations were short-lived as Taunton sealed a 7-1 win with two more goals.

Overall it wasn’t Minehead’s day, but they had battled throughout 70 minutes of torrential rain and strong winds.

Player of the match was Tara Jones for her solid tackling and quick thinking in defence.

Minehead Ladies II: Eleanor Kaye, Tara Jones, Sarah Hill, Hazel Binding, Jess Francis, Naomi Trunks, Mel White, Beth Thompson, Stacey Bosley, Jodie Delbridge, Charlotte Taylor.