BRIDPORT RESERVES 3

PARLEY SPORTS 1

JUST one more win separates Bridport Reserves with silverware this season, as they booked their place in the final of the Dorset Senior Trophy on Saturday.

The Bees, beaten in the last two of the competition last year, ensured they got another bite of the cherry this term thanks to a 3-1 win against Parley Sports on Saturday.

Parley had knocked last year’s trophy winners Chickerell out of the competition with a 6-0 win in the second round back in November.

But, on this occasion, Shaun Annetts’ Bees proved far too much for Sports to handle and sealed a comfortable home triumph at St Mary’s Field.

“On Saturday, what was fantastic was the spirit, the effort, and those side of things were awesome,” manager Annetts said.

“To have won the game and played the way we did was very pleasing.

“It was not the most attractive game of football but our lads were brilliant in every department. They wanted it big time and we are building a bit of momentum.

“The only little bit of gloss taken off it was in the second half when we conceded late on rather than keeping a clean sheet and we didn’t increase our advantage, because we had chances to have done that.

“But we are pleased to get ourselves into a final and we are just pleased to give ourselves something to look forward to in a month or so.”

Tristan Gale opened the scoring for the Bees, who looked to press Parley high up the pitch from the outset in their last four encounter. Gale managed to charge down a clearance from a defender and it looped up off him and fell into the net.

Tom Blair, who has also impressed in the Bridport first-team in recent weeks, then skipped past a couple of men on the left flank and played the ball to Gary Bulman, whose shot deflected into the top corner to make it 2-0.

A Chris Herbst free-kick then sailed into the net before the break to effectively put the tie beyond doubt and, despite conceding late on, the Bees cruised to a comfortable cup triumph.

While Annetts admits his main priority is to get some more points in the Dorset Premier League this term, he is looking forward to the final against Merley Cobham Sports, set to be held at the County Ground on Tuesday, April 26.

He added: “We are going to go to the final and prepare as well as we can to try and get a result on the day.”

Bees: Park, Herbst, King, Day, Baker, T Gale, Gape, Fleet, Blair (Hyde), Peach (Pearson), Bulman (Radivojsa), Subs not used: Middleton, Rowland.