Plucky Bridport hold Weymouth (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Plucky Bridport hold Weymouth

10:04am Wednesday 21st July 2010

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Bridport 0 WEYMOUTH 0

SPIRITED Bridport held Zamaretto League Premier Division outfit Weymouth to a goalless draw in front of a bumper audience at St Mary’s Field last night.

Undeterred by heavy rain, supporters from both sides poured through the turnstiles and witnessed a match that offered plenty of entertainment, despite failing to produce a goal.

The Bees began hesitantly but visibly grew in stature as the game unfolded and could have snatched a victory but for some excellent goalkeeping from Ashley Weeks.

Dorchester Under-18s gloveman Sam Filkins caught the eye with an accomplished performance, while Chris Clarke looked lively in an unaccustomed forward role alongside new signing Ryan Dovell.

Dovell, who bagged his maiden goal for the club against Westland Sports last Friday, went off after suffering a head injury early in the first half but reappeared after the interval.

A torrential pre-match downpour certainly added zip to the pitch and it was Weymouth, managed by Ian Hutchinson, who stamped their authority on proceedings from the outset.

Filkins did superbly to thwart Scott Dixon and ex-Bridport striker Sam Charles, whose rasping drive reminded home fans of his ability.

At the opposite end, a Matt Oldring block denied Jamie Symes after Tom Manley had only half stopped the teenager’s goalbound effort.

Influential duo Dan Wise and Darren Watts started to pull the strings in midfield but aside from Symes’ chance, the Bees were largely restricted to long-range efforts.

However, Bridport nearly broke the deadlock twice on the cusp of half-time as shots from Adam Symes and Clarke drifted just the wrong side of Manley’s goal.

Hutchinson rang the changes for the second-half restart and this upheaval handed the initiative to the home side, who continued from where they had left off at the backend of the first period.

Clarke was presented with a golden opportunity to draw first blood on the hour, but after springing the offside trap, he saw his firm left-footed strike saved by Weeks, who diverted the ball on to a post.

Filkins pulled off a splendid one-handed save to tip a Lewis Whyton header over the crossbar before Charles somehow conspired to lift the ball over the woodwork from close range.

Weeks was called upon to stoop low and block a downward header from Clarke, and the custodian also did well to hold on to a deflected effort by Watts.

As the match moved into stoppage time, Wise unleashed a trademark free-kick from some 35 yards that needed Weeks to be alert and to maintain his side’s blushes.

Bridport, who are unbeaten in two pre-season friendlies thus far, travel to Wessex League Division One side Shaftesbury this Saturday.

Bees: Filkins, A Symes, Condliffe (M Bulman 75), Lock (Legg 40), Senior, Hayter, J Symes (Jones 75), Wise, C Clarke, Dovell (Cummings 14 (Dovell 56), Watts.

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