BRIDPORT will be without three key players this Saturday as they look for their first league points of the season away to Bitton (3pm).

Strikers Tom Richardson and Ryan Dovell miss the Toolstation Western Premier Division clash through suspension and injury respectively, while Dan Wise has work commitments.

Richardson scored the Bees’ opening goal in last Saturday’s FA Cup extra preliminary round tie at Hengrove Athletic but now serves a three-match ban for his red card on the first day of the season.

Dovell, who got the second in the 2-0 win over Hengrove, faces a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a second-half groin injury in Bristol.

Bridport’s victory earned them a guaranteed £1,500 and set them up for a meeting with Merthyr Town at St Mary’s Field in the preliminary round on August 31.

However, Richardson will still be unavailable and it remains doubtful whether Dovell can recover in time.

Speaking after the Hengrove triumph boss Trevor Senior said: “We deserved to win the game. It was important we won after how we did in the cup last season and the money on offer this year.

“We can look forward to playing Merthyr at home in a couple of weeks and we should have a big crowd in for that one.

“We needed a win on Saturday after losing our first two in the league and the lads are buzzing again.

“Ryan picked up quite a nasty injury and not having him, Tom and Dan for Bitton is a blow.”

Despite playing into a swirling wind in the first-half it was the visitors that started the stronger and Wise went close from 25 yards early on.

And the midfielder had a big hand in the opening goal on 25 minutes when his corner was headed in by Richardson.

Bridport doubled their advantage just before the break when Wise’s centre found Dovell and, despite being off balance, the striker looped the ball over the home keeper.

Hengrove came out fighting in the second-half but the Bees were equally as strong on the break and Dovell struck a post following Chris Clarke’s shot.

The pacey Matt Morley was always a threat down the right and it was from one of his crosses that Dovell injured himself with 20 minutes left.

Bees: S Filkins, Morley (J Filkins 75), M Buckler, Evans, Watts, Hayter, Legg, Wise, Richardson (Senior 81), Dovell (Condliffe 70), C Clarke