BEES’ boss Trevor Senior insists that Bridport’s “closer link” with their reserve set-up this term is paying dividends for the entire club.

With some of Senior’s first team squad being ruled out through various injuries throughout the season, Shaun Annetts’ reserves have come up trumps in both supplying exciting talent for the seniors, as well as giving returning players the chance to get match minutes.

Senior told Echosport: “The main thing so far to come out of this season so far is that we are stronger this year than we were last year. Purely with strength in depth as we have a bigger squad.

“Looking at the overall side of the club I think Shaun Annetts has done very well with the reserves.

“He is bleeding in younger players which is what I have asked him to do and I have told him I am not worried about league position, he just needs to try and produce some players for us and he is doing that.

“As a club there is a closer link between the reserves this season.

“To be fair, the lads that have dropped down from the first team to the reserves have shown a great attitude and done it in the right way.

“I can’t fault any of them and Shaun gives me good feedback on that and that will carry on.

“Overall there is a good feel about it and I am very pleased with how things are going.”

Senior also took the time to heap praise on the improvement youngster Tom Blair has made since joining the club.

He added: “Tom is the one who has come on leaps and bounds. I have known Tom since he was nine.

“He kept on to me about coming to pre-season training, was keen to know when it was and he had obviously grown up since I’d seen him.

“He did one or two good things but had no real positional sense. I watched him in a couple of the other reserve pre-season games and he looked like a six-a-side player playing all over the place.

“He needed to focus on a position which he has done. Shaun has been playing him on the right side of midfield and he is a different player now.

“He’s so strong, he’s direct, his passing is good, can get a goal and is quick. I think he has got a big future.

“He has been on the bench three or four times for the first team, has come on and not looked out of place at all.”

With their scheduled trip to Hallen washed out last weekend, the Bees’ first team look to get back in action when they host Longwell Green Sports on Saturday (3pm).