BRIDPORT manager Adam Fricker admits a competitive atmosphere had contributed to arranging a pre-season fixture with Sherborne Town on Saturday (3pm).

The Zebras ply their trade a league below the Bees in Toolstation Division One.

That factor, coupled with their relative proximity due to Bridport playing their pre-season games away from home owing to pitch works, made them an ideal candidate to test the Bees’ mettle.

Elaborating on the fixture, Bridport’s third after a midweek trip to Exmouth Town, Fricker said: “We want competition when we play in pre-season.

“The biggest thing for us this season is we have to play all the games away.

“They are good set-ups that we know all about, so we know it’s going to be decent for us.”

Winger Leighton Thomas returned this week and could feature against Sherborne.

Meanwhile, Fricker’s men were forced to move their opening pre-season gambit against Elmore to a 3G pitch due to dry conditions causing safety issues at the Eagles’ Horsdon Park pitch.

In a further twist, the game was played in three 30-minute thirds with Elmore running out 8-5 victors as Jamie Mudge bagged four goals, Stuart Davies a hat-trick and Alex Gray a solitary strike.

Bridport, who never led during the encounter, saw Oscar Latas and Kameron Andrews notch braces, while the Bees also profited from an own goal.

Commenting on the Elmore fixture, Fricker told the Bridport News it had felt more like a “training session”.

He said: “We played three 30 minutes, it was a good run out for us and good to get some minutes on the board.

“It was a mix between first team and reserves and a bit more of a training session, to be honest.

“We haven’t changed the side from last season so from our perspective the result doesn’t make a difference to us.

“It’s more that we got the minutes into the lads and they do the right things – they know how we want to play and what we want to do.

“The most pleasing thing was how sharp (the players) looked – fair play to them, they look fresh.”