BRIDPORT 2

ODD DOWN (BATH) 3

BRIDPORT put up a brave performance at St Mary’s Field against league leaders Odd Down but fell just short after being reduced to 10 men.

A Mark Salter penalty and

a strike from Jamie Beasley

either side of the break were not enough for Trevor Senior’s troops to gain anything from the encounter.

The visitors snatched all three points with the pivotal goal coming five minutes from time.

The Bees got off to a blistering start with just three minutes on the clock.

Matt Condliffe and Tom Richardson combined well down the right which allowed the former to surge into the box.

He was felled and a penalty was awarded to the Bees. Up stepped Salter, who made no mistake in adding to his scoring tally for the season.

But around 10 minutes later, the Bees conceded a penalty at the other end.

After giving the ball away on the halfway line, Odd Down broke forward and Ryan Hayter’s attempted recovery tackle was deemed a foul inside the box. Adnan Hiroli converted to make it 1-1.

The away side then put themselves in the ascendancy.

Troy Simpson’s attempted header at goal landed right into the path of Martin Stowell, who converted from close range to leave Bridport trailing at the interval.

Following the break the Bees came within inches of bagging an equaliser.

A cross from the right saw Tom Richardson volley against a post and the ball rebounded to Salter, whose shot had beaten the keeper but was adjudged not to have crossed the goal-line as it was scrambled away.

Just short of the hour mark, Bridport’s chances of a response were hindered as Sean Stewart saw red. He was a victim of a strong tackle and was dismissed in the aftermath for foul and abusive language towards the match official, who sent him off.

But that was not to deter Senior’s side, who took the game to the league leaders and got level at 2-2 thanks to Beasley. The winger got in behind the visitors’ defence and finished well.

The hammer blow then came however, as substitute Simon Gilbert applied a cool finish five minutes from time to sink the

Bees.

Senior said: “I felt a bit sorry for the lads because we deserved something out of the game. A draw would have been fair enough.

“It was 100 per cent better though, I got a performance from them.”

Bees: Hadley, Evans, Dovell, Stewart, Clarke, Hayter, Condliffe (Hill 78), Peach (C Senior 65), Salter, Richardson, Beasley (T Gale 78)