BRIDPORT boss Adam Fricker expects an “influx” of midweek games until the season’s end after the Bees suffered a third postponement in seven days due to a waterlogged pitch.

Fricker’s men were scheduled to play Chipping Sodbury Town at St Mary’s Field in Toolstation Western League Premier Division action, adding to earlier postponements against Bitton and Longwell Green Sports.

Speaking to Echosport, Fricker felt the situation was “very frustrating”, and forced the Bees to train on Saturday morning instead.

He said: “We managed to get a 3G in Axminster and a couple of the lads got some minutes in the reserves so it wasn’t that bad.

“It’s very frustrating, the pitch was heavy and it probably would have been a bit of a leveller. It’s frustrating that the last three games have been cancelled and we’re behind on fixtures as it is.

“We’re going to get an influx of midweek games until the end of the season, that’s for sure. It’s just something that we’ll need to manage and get through.”

But Fricker admits the fixture pile-up could work in Bridport’s favour, with a 17-man squad facilitating player rotation.

He said: “If we can keep the squad and everyone fit we have got a 17-man squad.

“It gives us the opportunity to rotate and give everyone an opportunity with two or three games a week, so it helps to a certain extent.

“When you play midweek you can have a couple of lads struggle to play Saturday, Wednesday.”

When asked what the biggest challenge a two-week break presents to a manager is, Fricker was unequivocal.

“It’s the match fitness,” he said. “But the lads are honest and do their own stuff.

“They worked hard for 30 minutes (on Saturday) and played some football, but that will never replicate a game,” he added.

Fricker also revealed that he has no immediate plans to add to his squad.

He said: “We’ve got a lot of strength in depth. We brought in Jon Vance just before the postponements and he’s played one game for us.

“Dan Peach is back from travelling in the next couple of weeks as well, that’s another key player for us.”

Looking to the Bees’ next game against Willand Rovers in the Les Phillips Cup on Saturday, Fricker feels the Bees will be “itching” to play after a 17-day playing absence.

He said: “They’re in great form. They turned us over at home this season so we’ll be looking to right a few wrongs for that.

“It’s probably not an ideal game to go back to when you’ve been out for a long time, but that lads are itching to play and that comes in to play as well.”