NEW MILTON II 29

BRIDPORT 6

BRIDPORT’S inconsistent start to the season continued with an away defeat to New Milton Seconds.

The visitors looked to build on the previous home win, however, the Blues came unstuck as they took only 15 players to face a New Milton side that had won their first two games.

Bridport had the better start of the two teams as Daragh Mcloughlin looked to be in for the first try.

Tom East received a huge hit but kept the ball in play with an offload to full-back Rich Pearce who broke the line from halfway.

Mcloughlin supported Pearce well and took the ball onwards only to loose possession on the line after a last-ditch cover tackle from the New Milton full-back.

However, the resulting New Milton scrum was rushed by the Bridport forwards pack and a penalty was awarded to the Blues on the ensuing ruck. Mitch Waters converted the penalty and gratefully put Bridport in front.

Bridport’s positive start began to unravel from there on out as New Milton slowly began to grow into the game, camping in the visitors’ 22.

Sustained pressure eventually allowed New Milton their first points as a grubber kick through was not cleared up by the Bridport defence, allowing the home wing to dive on the ball for a try. The conversion was missed leaving the home side 5-3 ahead.

However, patience prevailed for the Blues as a New Milton mistake led to Waters collecting another three points from a penalty kick just behind the 22-metre line.

With Bridport ahead by one point, Waters then attempted an ambitious penalty kick from the halfway line to keep the scoreboard ticking in their favour, however the ball was just pulled wide of the posts.

The first half was finished with a New Milton try after a complacent Bridport defence allowed the home team to create an overlap which they capitalised with with precise hands to get their winger in the corner.

The converted try led to New Milton carrying a six-point lead into the interval.

A shoulder injury to Harry Richardson in the second half left Bridport with only 14 players for the rest of the game and New Milton showed dominance in an uneven contest.

In the second half, New Milton ran three more tries in, each time using the one-man advantage by taking the ball wide and scoring in the corners.

Bridport fortunes will hope to change this week as the Blues travel to North Dorset who currently sit bottom of the Dorset & Wilts Two South table.