BRIDPORT 2 MELKSHAM 6

THE Bees got hit for six on their return to action following over three weeks without a game.

However, Trevor Senior refused to blame the defeat on rustiness and instead praised Melksham’s front two of Dan Kovacs and Gary Higdon, who were a constant threat throughout the encounter.

The Bridport boss told Echosport: “We cannot gloss the score up and the difference was their two centre forwards.

“They scored two each, their movement was good and they looked dangerous all the time.”

Kovacs got the ball rolling with a neat finish from 12 yards before the Bees hit back from the spot through Dan Wise.

However, Kovacs then struck again after some poor defending at a corner and, from there, Melksham began to take con- trol.

A slip from Wise in the middle of midfield led to Higdon’s first, and although Ryan Dovell and Darren Watts both went close at the other end, Bridport trudged in at half-time 3-1 down with a bit of a mountain to climb.

The next goal was always going to prove crucial and once again it went to the visitors.

This time Ryan Hayter got caught in possession allowing Higdon to go on and convert a cross at the far post.

The Bees refused to lie down though, and when Matt Condliffe fired home from the edge of the box, the comeback was still on.

However, Dovell then sent a reaction header just over the bar, and with that chance went his side’s hopes as Melksham went on to grab two more.

Substitute Tom Richardson turned an attempted clearance into his own net before another close-range finish made it six.

Senior added: “We were well beaten on the day but we shouldn’t be too disappointed by it because we weren’t actually that bad.

“It was nice to get back playing again but it wasn’t the result we wanted and now we must bounce back.

“Apart from the goals, Sam Filkins only had one other save to make, and, like I said, their two forwards made the differ- ence by punishing our mis- takes.

“They are as good as any strike partnership we have played against this year.”

The Bees are now winless in six in the Toolstation Western Premier Division where they now sit 15th, just nine points above the bottom three, having played more games than all the teams below them.

Their next encounter is at Hengrove Athletic on March 8.

Bees: S Filkins, J Filkins (Richardson 65), C Clarke, Evans, Watts, Hayter, Luke, Wise, Condliffe (Gale 75), Dovell, Morley. Sub not used: M Buckler.

Bees’ Man of the Match: Matt Condliffe Attendance: 89