BRIDPORT 17 SALISBURY SECONDS 12

BRIDPORT responded to their thumping at the hands of Westbury with a hard-fought win over Salisbury Seconds.

A perfectly still afternoon made for ideal conditions as the Blues took on a side that has always proved to be a hard nut to crack.

Still smarting from that 78-14 thrashing by Westbury, Brid-port were keen to get their season back on track and much of the first half was played in the visitors’ territory.

There were three scrums close to the Salisbury posts but Bridport could just not get past the defensive rearguard of their opponents.

And on only their second incursion into the Bridport half in the first 25 minutes, Salisbury piled over the home side’s line in a mass of bodies. Phil Sutton’s try was unconverted but the visitors led 5-0.

Bridport responded with some venom and stayed in Salisbury territory. Some fine opportunities went begging but the ever-reliable Mike Pibworth pounced from a breaking scrum to get Bridport’s first points.

Rory Greening converted and the Blues went into a 7-5 lead at half time.

The Blues had kept the pea in the referee’s whistle very busy with technical infringements at the breakdown and this may have inhibited them for the first part of the second half.

They continued to put pressure on the opposition with a penalty by Greening to extend their lead, but over-eager failed long passes and some soft tackling let winger Tom Hopper respond with a long-range converted try to make it 12-10 to Salisbury.

The game lost some shape and tempo in the final quarter as tiredness showed.

Bridport nerves were settled late in the match though, when the ball squirted out of a messy maul on the Salisbury 22 and youngster Andrew Livingstone grabbed his opportunity of a second try in two weeks.

He raced under the posts for a converted try and a score that sealed a 17-12 triumph for the hosts.

Livingstone was also deservedly awarded the Pal-mer’s Wine Store man of the match award on a day when there was a feast of rugby for the club’s sponsors, who also enjoyed a delicious pre-match buffet courtesy of Tracey and Andy Lavis of Bridport Hog Roast.

This Saturday sees the firsts travel to Warminster in Dorset & Wilts One South.

Elsewhere, Bridport Seconds are home to North Dorset in Dorset & Wilts Four.

They didn’t have a game at the weekend.