BRIDPORT 4 STREET 4

THE Bees need to use the fighting spirit they showed against Street if they want to start climbing the league table, according to boss Trevor Senior.

Bridport go to Bristol Manor Farm this Saturday (3pm) looking to build on a deserved point secured at St Mary’s Field in a thrilling 4-4 draw.

“The lads deserved at least a point and I’ve got nothing but praise for them because they showed great character to come back like they did,” said Senior.

“They put in a great shift and we’ve got to take that into our next few games and keep being positive to get more points on the board.”

One other positive to come out of last Saturday’s rousing fight back came off the pitch with the club attracting the biggest crowd in the Toolstation Western Pre-mier Division.

Bridport got off to the best possible start when Ryan Dovell played in Dan Wise to make it 1-0 with only four minutes on the clock.

Ben Clarke came close to doubling the lead with a couple of headers but Bridport were undone by a long ball which bounced over the back four and Sam Filkins could do nothing but watch as he was lobbed.

The visitors then went in front but the Bees appeared to have levelled when Dovell reacted quickest to a Michael Hailu effort that came back off the bar only for the former to be flagged for offside.

Things got worse for the home side as Street took a 3-1 advantage into the break, however, a stunning run and 30-yard piledriver from Dovell halved the deficit.

Senior’s men were right back in it but they were caught with a sucker punch when a misjudged back pass resulted in a free-kick which was headed in.

Already facing an uphill struggle, Russell Legg was sent off to leave the Bees with an even bigger mountain to climb.

That, though, seemed to spur them into life and Hailu’s brilliant acrobatic strike was followed by his second goal in the space of 10 minutes. There were chances for both sides to win it but in the end they could not be separated.

Bees: S Filkins, Hayter, Condliffe, Evans, C Clarke (Lock 83), Legg, Luke, Wise, Dovell (Ritchie 88), B Clarke, Hailu