MINEHEAD'S first cup appearance of the season ended in a 5-3 away defeat by Burnham United in the opening round of the Somerset County Football League's KO Cup - against a side currently pointless at the bottom of the first division after their opening five games.

The hosts’ tails were up after just three minutes when Liam Gilbert took advantage of a loose back pass and shot confidently home passed Blues’ keeper Kyran Wilkins. 

Minehead’s response was good, with a Will Singleton-Voss shot from 25 yards out needing tipping over at full stretch by Burnham keeper Tom Edwards. Pushing forward confidently Minehead went close when Toby Waghorn’s shot went just over the bar, and having cut in from a wide position from full back

Bertie Harvey-Larmar’s left footed effort curled literally inches over the angle of the post and crossbar.

Just before the half ended, Burnham increased their lead against the run of play, when Gilbert again ran through a static defence who were waiting for an obvious offside decision that never came, to once again shoot past Wilkins.

Minehead continued on the front foot and deservedly got straight back into the game with two goals in three minutes through Josh Elston and Toby Waghorn levelling the scores, and the comeback was complete when Sam Jackson followed up his first shot which came back off the post, to put The Blues into the lead.

Soon after the second half had started the game was level again. Curtis Bradshaw accepted another gift from the Blues defence and after a good run from Minehead centre forward Waghorn had finished with his shot going just wide, the hosts took the lead when Bradshaw ran through the defence again to beat the exposed Wilkins.

After Stefan Phillips’ shot had brought another fine save out of Edwards, yet another piece of sloppy defending gave Burnham another one on one with Wilkins, and the hosts put the game out of Minehead’s reach at 5-3.

Minehead: Kyran Wilkins, Bertie Harvey-Larmar, Ollie Hall, Louis Burge, James Knight, Will Singleton-Voss, Stefan Phillips, Josh Elston, Toby Waghorn, Matt Trump, Sam Jackson. Subs: Andy Hall, Hubi Wejnerowski (Used) Lewis Breilatt. Man of the Match: Toby Waghorn

It was not a good day for local sides in the competition with neighbours Watchet Town going down 2-0 at home to Premier Division opponents Ilminster Town.

Middlezoy Rovers Reserves produced one of the biggest wins in the competition, beating Wrington Redhill 5-1 away.

Clutton won through to the next round after a penalty shootout at home to Peasedown Miners Welfare after the sides had fought out a 1-1 draw.

Nailsea & Tickenham also won through to the second round in similar fashion, beating Fry Club 4-2 on penalty after a hard-fought 2-2 draw.