MINEHEAD slumped to a 4-0 home defeat against Burnham United at The Rec in the first division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League.

Minehead had already faced them twice this season at their Cassis Close Ground, having lost in both a cup and a league match.

The Blues started well and almost took the lead twice in the first few minutes with firstly Guy Burns and then Bertie Harvey-Larmar having good opportunities. Keeping the pressure on their opponents, Burns was brought down on the edge of the box, but Sam Jackson’s free kick was wide of the mark.

Visiting keeper Tom Edwards then smothered a half chance that fell to Toby Waghorn. Showing good cohesion in their build up play Minehead continued to pepper the visitors goal in their best period of the game, and Burns went close again with a right-footed shot from the edge of the box.

A dangerous Stefan Philips free kick was headed to the relative safety of a corner, then Will Singleton-Voss was presented with a good opportunity which ended up being comfortable for Edwards.

Burnham, however, weathered the pressure and then looked to have taken the lead themselves when a 25-yard shot from Nathan Bishop seemed destined for the top corner, but Minehead keeper Freddie Harvey-Larmar made a brilliant save, tipping it onto the bar and over for a corner, which proved fruitless for the visitors.

Then Minehead looked dangerous from a Sam Jackson corner which Bertie Harvey-Larmar could not quite convert. The game changed after half an hour, when Minehead’s defence failed to take any of several opportunities to clear the ball from the edge of their box during a prolonged Burnham attack, and Curtis Bradshaw was able to fire home to open their account.

Even though Waghorn’s perseverance managed to create a couple of chances for himself, Minehead seemed to lose their earlier impetus along with their shape, as Burnham started to impose themselves more on the game, and after further errors and indecisions in The Blues defence, Bradshaw was denied by the post.

Ten minutes into the second half Scott Kivell replaced Waghorn, but shortly afterwards a firm shot from Bradshaw hit a bobble and bounced over the unfortunate keeper, who had already dived low for the shot.

On the hour the game was safely in Burnham’s pockets when Bradshaw’s header was parried by Harvey-Larmar but fell kindly to James Chinnock who struck home powerfully from the edge of the box. Bradshaw finished an accomplished hat-trick when he completed the scoring for the day eighteen minutes from time, shooting passed the keeper, having beaten the last defender.

Minehead: Freddie Harvey-Larmar, Bertie Harvey-Larmar, Charlie Disney, Louis Burge, George Painter, Toby Morris, Sam Jackson, Will Singleton-Voss, Toby Waghorn, Guy Burns, Stefan Phillips Subs: Dan Vickers, Scott Kivell, Harvey Henderson, Jack Campbell-Farmer.

Elsewhere, top of the table and new champions Congresbury, who have lost only one league match all season, stretched their lead to 13 points with a 3-0 home victory over Peasedown Miners Welfare who are down in 11th spot.

Glastonbury, fifth in the table, gained the biggest win of the day, beating Keynsham Town Reserves 6-1 away while lowly Ashcott gained only their sixth success when they beat Clutton 3-2 to ease their relegation worries.

Nailsea & Tickenham Reserves gained a crucial 4-0 home win over fellow strugglers Middlezoy Rovers Reserves.