BRIDPORT boss Trevor Senior paid tribute to his players and backroom staff after being named the Toolstation Western League Premier Division’s manager of the month for November.

Senior, who shares the accolade with Willand Rovers’ chief Scott Rogers, led the Bees to league victories over Winterbourne United and Slimbridge last month as the St Mary’s Field outfit moved to within four points of top spot.

In between those wins, Senior also guided Bridport to a resounding 5-1 defeat of Winter-bourne in the Les Phillips Cup.

When reacting to the news of his award success, Senior was quick to praise those around him for their hard work.

“I’m obviously pleased to get the award,” he said. “I think we had a good October and Nov-ember.

“To share it with Willand Rovers, who I think are the best team we’ve played this season along with Buckland, is great.

“But as with awards like this, you are getting recognised for what the team has done, and it’s the players who get the results on the pitch at the end of the day.

“And I’ve had a lot of help from my coaching staff of Mark Carter, Doug Smith and Lloyd Green, so the award is for their work too.”

Meanwhile, Rogers oversaw three league wins for Willand in November, with his team scoring five goals in each game.

They also enjoyed success in the Les Phillips Cup and will now travel to Bridport in the last 16 in February.

This Saturday, the Bees host Buckland Athletic in the league at St Mary’s Field (3pm), a week after slipping to a 2-0 defeat to Bristol Manor Farm.

With regular frontman Warren Byerley unavailable, Senior fielded Shane Evans up front and he proved effective, with a couple of chances falling his way in the first half.

“We played some decent football in the first half with good crisp passing on a good surface,” added Senior. “I asked the lads to carry on in the way we played the previous week and we bossed the game in the first half.

“The result probably flattered them a little bit and, to be fair to their manager, he shook my hand at the end of the game and said ‘we robbed you’.

“If we had scored in the first half they would have had to come at us.”