Blues survived a scare by Burnley to book a place in FA Cup 5th round

Blues booked themselves into the 5th round ladies FA Cup draw after surviving a scare against a well drilled Burnley side under the guidance of Rebecca Sawiuk. The game also produced in my view one of the best goalkeeping performances I ever seen following women’s football for the past 11 years. Look out for this name Kirstie Levell an unbelievable performance from especially from Lucy Quinn from close range and one of the best saves I ever seen from Ellie Mason tipping it onto the crossbar and it’s a shame she has to be on the losing side. For Blues yet again we ground it out but should have been out of sight if it wasn’t for Levell. The main thing for Darren and the girls in blue is that we got over the line and we are in the hat. Another plus is to see Abbi Jenner back in the match day squad after her injury.

FIRST HALF

The first chance of the game came for Blues when Yuri drive forward from the right-hand side, but her strike went wide in the 16^th minute.

But the breakthrough came in the 21^st minute when Yuri put in Libby Smith and fired it into the bottom corner to make it 0-1 to the girls in blue.

Burnley came back into the game when Amaya Coleman-Evans passed a Blues defender and but in a dangerous ball, but it was cleared away in the 25^th minute. This was quickly followed up with a brilliant block from Neve Herron to deny Burnley’s forward Laura Elford in the 28^th minute.

Then it was Blues turn to have a attempt when the Scottish Maestro Christie Harrison-Murray had a shot from range but went over the bar in the 37^th minute.

The last chance of the half came for Blues when some good play from Smith and Moore combined really well but Moore’s shot went over the bar.

HALF TIME BURNLEY 0-1 BLUES

SECOND HALF

The first chance of the second half came for the hosts and it should have been the equalizer when Laura Elford broke free from the Blues defence rounded Lucy Thomas and her shot hit the post in the 69^th minute.

Blues first chance of the second half came 12 minutes from time when substitute Lucy Quinn shot was welled saved from Burnley’s goalkeeper Kirstie Levell.  

Then a minute later Levell made an unbelievable save from Quinny again this time from close range.

Then in the 81^st minute Levell was on hand to keep Burnley in the game this time she saved from Yuri .

Then in the 89^th minute the best of the lot from Burnley’s goalkeeper Kirstie Levell when Ellie Mason shot from outside the area was tipped onto the bar from Levell a unbelievable save .

Then in the 91^st minute Burnley were given a penalty when Lucy Thomas brought down Evie Prestley and from the spot Millie Ravening scored past Thomas to make it 1-1 and there had to thank Kirstie Levell for keeping them into the game.

Finally in the 97^th minute Claudia Walker could have been the hero, but her effort goes wide.

FULL TIME BURNLEY 1-1BLUES

EXTRA TIME

The first chance of Extra time was for Blues when Ellie Mason broke into the box and yet again Kirstie Levell saves it at the front of the post in the 95^th minute. Then in the 101^st minute Lucy Quinn scooped her effort wide of the far corner .

Just before the end of the first period of extra time the breakthrough came for blues when Yuri’s header came of the bar and Claudia Walker tapped home and got her first of the season get in.

HALF TIME OF EXTRA TIME BURNLEY 1-2 BLUES 

SECOND HALF OF EXTRA TIME

The only chance of the second half was the third goal for blues women with Ellie Mason founding Jade Moore open and smashing it past the brilliant Kirstie Levell getting us into the fifth round of the FA Cup.

FULL TIME AET BURNLEY 1-3 BLUES 

MY THOUGHTS OF THE GAME 

A hard-fought game at the County Ground in Lancashire and all credit should go to both teams in a cracking FA Cup game like I said in my blogs before Blues have found the metal in games and now how to grind them out also in the cup and more importantly in the league the experience players we got in a team now like Allen, Moore and Agg could be what gets us over the line back into the WSL. I think Darren will be disappointed that we didn’t get over the line in the ninety minutes with the number of chances we created but we came up against a phenomenal player in goals for Burnley in Kirstie Levell some of her saves were truly out of this world especially the save of Ellie Mason tipping it onto the crossbar. On an another positive it was great to see our strikers getting the goals from Smith and a big shout out to Claudia Walker on getting her first goal of the season she has been working incredibly hard without getting the luck hopefully with this goal we can get the player with the confidence we got at the beginning of last January . And also Yuri she has been brilliant since she has come to the club and its always a joy watching her play.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH 

Only one person and it isn’t in a blue shirt I have to go for Burnley’s goalkeeper Kirstie Levell some of her saves were ridiculous especially the one from Mason tipping it onto the bar a truly world class save.

UP NEXT 

A tough away trip to Reading next Sunday at 13:00 if you cant get down their it is on the FA player.

STEPHEN GILL KRO

All videos courtesy of BCFC YouTube channel