Bees safe despite fifth straight loss (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Bees safe despite fifth straight loss

8:46am Wednesday 11th April 2012 in Sport By Ky Capel

Bridport 0 WILLAND ROVERS 2

DESPITE suffering a fifth straight defeat, results elsewhere secured another season in Toolstation’s top-flight for lowly Bridport.

The Bees went down 2-0 for the second match in succession as high-flying Willand Rovers bagged all three points at St Mary’s Field on Bank Holiday Monday.

But with relegation rivals Sherborne Town, who defeated Bridport 2-0 on Saturday, and Radstock Town also losing out – and having to play each other on the final day of the campaign – Trevor Senior’s men are sure to be playing Premier Division football in 2012/13.

The boss, whose side visit Ilfracombe Town this weekend (3pm), said: “I was looking for a response after Saturday’s defeat at Sherborne and to be honest the first half was a bit of a non-event.

“The wind played its part and we only had the one chance in the first half. Ben Clarke’s effort was saved and Tom Richardson couldn’t quite get his leg over the ball to keep it down.

“They didn’t really have too much either but they did go 1-0 up, albeit with a dubious pen-alty.

“Their guy cut in on the byline and went to cross the ball. Alan Hill had his arms by his side but the referee adjudged him to have handled it, which was unfortunate really.

“We looked a bit tentative in the second half but with a bit more luck we could have got a draw. Dan Wise had a really good shot from 25 yards well saved, Ben headed off target and Roger Cummings came on and hit a sweet volley straight at the goalkeeper.

“Then, from about six yards, Tom’s effort hit a defender’s foot and bounced over the bar.

“And about three or four minutes from time the ball was bobbling around in our box and although Ryan Hayter did well to block two attempts, it fell nicely for one of their players and his shot went through two or three of our players and inside the post.

“That summed it up really as things just don’t seem to be falling like that for us. The good news is that we are safe now after Sherborne and Radstock both lost.”

Reflecting on the weekend loss at rivals Sherb, who remain eight points adrift of the Bees after Monday’s events, Senior added: “It was the same thing that has happened so often this season – we didn’t take our chances.

“We were unlucky with some of them though, as their keeper made some great saves.”

Next up for Bridport is Saturday’s trip to 11th-placed Ilfracombe.

Bees: Filkins, Condliffe, C Clarke, Lock, Hill (A Symes 72), Hayter, Legg (Cummings 70), Wise, Richardson, B Clarke, Senior (Luke 65).

Man of the Match: Ryan Hayter