BRIDPORT boss Trevor Senior knows his players cannot afford to perform like they did against Melksham Town earlier in the season when the two sides meet this Saturday (3pm).

The Bees were beaten 3-0 by the Wiltshire outfit at St Mary’s Field on the second weekend of the campaign and since then Melksham have put themselves forward as contenders for the title.

They proudly sit on top of the Toolstation Western League Premier Division, though Odd Down and Bristol Manor Farm are both hot on their heels.

At one stage of the season it had looked like Bridport could have been pushing for a place in the top five, however, an indifferent run of form since Christmas put paid to that.

Warren Byerley, Chris Senior and Dan Wise all return for the Bees on Saturday, though Sean Stewart is still suspended.

Reflecting on that defeat back in August, the St Mary’s Field chief said: “It wasn’t one of our best performances.

“So many of our players were off colour for some reason and we never really got going at all.

“They weren’t brilliant, we were just so poor on the day, and they beat us quite comfortably in the end.

“They’ve had a good season since then and have scored a lot of goals.

“Their strikers are always a threat but this season they have spread the goals around.”

Meanwhile, Bridport Reserves, whose last game at Hamworthy Recreation was postponed, host Wareham Rangers in the Dorset Premier League (3pm).

Boss Robin Townsend is hoping to have Jamie Fry back between the sticks, but Luke King is definitely unavailable.

When asked what his side’s targets were for the rest of the season, Townsend said: “We want to finish as high in the league as we can and supply players for the first-team when they are needed.

“We’re also in the semi-finals of the Dorset Senior Trophy and I would like us to get to the final at least, though we should be looking at winning it.”