IT WAS billed as a David-and-Goliath clash with a group of youngsters taking on the cream of women's football.

And although Goliath may have carried the day this time, it was not before he was given a bloody nose.

The might of Mohammed Al Fayed's professional Fulham squad were given a tough time before they trounced East Durham Ladies football team 3-1 in the Women's FA Cup yesterday.

East Durham's Lisa Thompson put in the first goal, and for 45 minutes her team kept their rivals at bay - before Fulham scored three times in the second half.

Player-coach Gill Coultard, a former player with Doncaster Belles and ex-captain of England, last night sang the praises of her team.

She said: "The result was no disgrace. The team have every reason to be proud of themselves.

"If that is what a full-time professional team could produce, then we are not far behind them."

Despite entering the competition for the first time this year, East Durham, part of the National Women's Football Academy, sailed through two qualifying rounds and four mainstream rounds to reach the quarter finals.

Gill said: "At the end of the day, we had nothing to lose and everything to gain. We have done what we set out to achieve.

"To have held off a professional team for 45 minutes is no mean feat.

"They came out all guns blazing the second half. We didn't switch on enough, and that is how they got their goals.

"We enjoyed the day and have lessons to learn, like any team which gets beat."

Players will have little time to savour their memories - because it's back to work in preparation for next week's knock-out cup game against Darlington.

Bright future for dynamic Dylan

HE'S a soccer phenomenon - dribbling, kicking and weaving his way through the opposition. And he's only four years old.

Ron Gordon, manager of Marton Football Academy, Teesside, says he has never seen anyone quite like four-year-old Dylan Gilhespie, who prefers to play with a full-sized Premier league ball.

Mr Gordon, who has coached players who have gone on to play for Middlesbrough, York and Darlington, has had Mark Proctor, manager of Middlesbrough Football Club's under-19s, watching Dylan in action. And he says Mark was equally impressed.

Mr Gordon said of the Middlesbrough youngster: "If he keeps up the progress he is already showing at his age, then in ten, 12, 14 years he could start opening doors.

"To me he has an extra sense of capability."

His proud mother, Nicola, said: "I know I am his mum, but there is something special about him.

"He does not just kick a ball aimlessly, he has a grasp of the rules."