ON A COLD but sunny January day, Minehead AFC U13 girls welcomed Shepton Mallet to Allerford - and went on to win a very close match 3-2 .

With the reverse fixture having been a closely contested affair and a six-week break between games for Minehead, Minehead knew they faced a tough challenge.

Minehead started brightly, moving the ball with confidence and linking up well across the pitch. The early pressure paid dividends when a well-delivered cross from the right was met and calmly finished into the back of the net, giving Minehead the lead inside the opening four minutes.

The early goal sparked a strong response from Shepton Mallet, who increased their intensity, competed hard for second balls and began to create chances of their own. Minehead stayed organised, showing good shape defensively while trying to retain possession and control the tempo.

After fifteen minutes, Shepton Mallet capitalised on a loose ball in midfield and produced a well-taken finish to level the scores.

Minehead responded positively, and strong link-up play led to another goal in the last kick before half time, restoring their advantage and making it 2-1 at the break.

A few minutes into the second half, an organised Shepton Mallet side struck again, converting from a corner to make it 2–2.

What followed was a tight, competitive second half, with both teams giving everything and creating chances, as either side looked capable of taking all three points.

Just when both sides thought it was going to be a draw, with minutes remaining, Minehead produced the decisive moment. A quick breakaway and a perfectly timed run saw their striker find the net and seal the victory. The full-time whistle followed shortly after, confirming a hard-fought three points for Minehead.

This was a strong all-round team performance by Minehad against a strong Shepton Mallet.