BRIDPORT 0

SLIMBRIDGE 1

BRIDPORT were left to pay the penalty as Slimbridge sealed all three points from the spot at St Mary’s Field.

Jamie Martin netted the winner for the visitors from to condemn Trevor Senior’s side to their fourth loss in five games in all competitions.

In a game with very few chances, the home side were left to rely on goalkeeper Ashley Weeks to tip the ball on to a post with his right hand to thwart Slimbridge’s Sean Lawson, who had headed narrowly wide earlier in the opening period.

The Bees failed to create many openings throughout the encounter and, as much as they probed, the contest was decided five minutes into the second half.

Bridport’s Sean Stewart was adjudged to have handled inside his own area by the referee’s assistant, who made the call from the touchline with the man-in the middle unsighted.

Up stepped Slimbridge’s Martin, who made no mistake with the resulting spot-kick to win the game for his side.

A Shane Evans header which failed to trouble the visiting goalkeeper late on was all the Bees could really show for their efforts, as their run without a win now stretches to nine games.

Boss Senior, who has seen his troops go three games without scoring, told Echosport: “In the first half we probably just shaded it but never really created a clear-cut chance.

“We were quite pleased with a 0-0 at half-time against a strong wind but, in the second half, we never really got going at all.

“We huffed and puffed but didn’t blow too many houses down as they say, we didn’t really test their keeper at all.

“We just seem to be lacking a bit of confidence at the moment, we had that good run leading up to Christmas and been on a worse run since then.

“We are a little bit nervy and worried about making mis- takes, it is difficult to put my finger on it really.

“We haven’t become a bad side in that time, we are just lacking confidence and it’s not happening for us at the moment.

“I don’t think we will get dragged into the relegation area at all but the lads have a lot of pride and that is what’s being hurt at the moment.

“They are all keen and want to do well, when you lose on a Saturday it messes your week up.”

Bees: Weeks, Morley (Rh Hayter 75), Condliffe, Hill, Stewart, Ry Hayter, J Filkins (Richardson 65), Wise, Evans, Byerley, A Symes. Sub not used: T Senior

Attendance: 95

Man of the match: Ryan Hayter