BRIDPORT Reserves fell to a frustrating 2-0 defeat at home to Gillingham thanks to goals from Elliot Bevis and Buddy O'Shea, despite Dan Peach going extremely close in the dying moments in the Dorset Premier League.

The goals, both of which came in the first half, dented a Bridport side who had rearranged a fixture so the match could go ahead and take advantage of a rare week where they were playing but the first team were not with a considerable fixture backlog.

Bridport started well but struggled to create chances and when they did they faced a goalkeeper who was comfortable in the air and dealt with their crosses well.

Bevis opened the scoring in the 33rd minute when Macauley Biddle produced a fantastic pass into Bevis who ran around Bridport goalkeeper Billy Fleet and fired in to give the away side the lead.

With the last meaningful action of the match Gillingham doubled their lead, as another nice move saw the ball crossed into the box where Bevis headed the ball against the bar, only for Buddy O'Shea to tuck in the rebound.

On 60 minutes the Reserves changed formation from 4-5-1 to a 3-5-2 in an effort to secure greater attacking intent as Finn Cooper and Josh Hull came on for Callum Strelley and Ryan Gaul but this did not lead to any more chances in the final third.

Dan Peach, the only player from the first team to feature, had a late opportunity in the 90th minute but his well struck shot provoked a stunning save from Gillingham goalkeeper Jamie Beale who dived back from off his line to get and hold onto the ball.

Bridport Reserves' manager Shaun Annetts said: "My overriding emotion after the game was one of great disappointment because I felt that we matched Gillingham in lots of ways and we looked as good as Gillingham over the 90 minutes.

"We probably had a greater amount of possession but that said with all the possession we had with decent football we did not create and hurt them enough and we certainly did not work their keeper at all."

The Bridport Reserves are next in action against Wareham Rangers at home on Saturday (3pm).

Bridport Reserves: Fleet, Storey, Strelley (Hull 60), Gaul (Paul 75), Mansley, Handeside, Weedon, Ward, Peach, Scadding, Radivojsa (Cooper 60)

Gillingham Town: Beale, Baker (Pike 85), Bevis (Mead 85), Biddle (Schouten 65), Clarke, O'Shea, Pike, Pearce-Eavis, Rowe, Smeeton, Thomson.