BRIDPORT 0

BRIDGWATER TOWN 2

Llewellyn 59 pen, Swift 79

BRIDPORT’S inability to convert chances again cost them dear as Bridgwater Town took a 2-0 victory from St Mary’s Field in their Toolstation Western League Premier Division clash.

The Bees missed several opportunities before Jake Llewellyn stepped up score a penalty after right-back Josh Williams was penalised for a trip.

And the Robins finished off their confidence-sapped opponents when Joe Swift planted home following a rapid counter 11 minutes from time.

Bridport’s defeat was another case of frustration as a superb display was again unrewarded by wasteful finishing.

In the first half Ed Butcher, scorer of a brace in a 3-2 win over Roman Glass last weekend, was guilty of a tame shot at goal when one-on-one, the Robins’ gloveman getting down easily to smother the winger’s weak shot.

Bridgwater punished Butcher when Llewellyn sent goalkeeper Jason Hutchings the wrong way after Williams had tangled with a Robins winger.

Butcher was again denied at point-blank range after bursting through the visitors’ defence before Leighton Thomas and Mark Salter also misdirected half-chances.

As Bridport came forward in search of a leveller, they were deflated on the break as Bridgwater surged upfield and supplied Swift with an inviting low cross from the left, the substitute slamming past Hutchings to seal the victory.

Speaking to Echosport, Bees’ boss Adam Fricker encouraged his side to “keep going” with performance levels still high despite sustaining an eighth loss in 10 games.

He said: “It was just a frustrating day where we put in a decent performance but if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net you’re not going to get any points.

“We were really poor against Roman Glass last week but we scored three goals. I’d take that performance and result week in, week out if it meant we were going to put three points on the board.

“It’s just one where we’ve got to knuckle down and keep going because they will go in. Ed would’ve probably scored a hat-trick on another day.

“It’s not singling out strikers for costing us the game because it’s a team performance but, likewise, that’s the difference between the top sides.

“They might miss one, but they’ll take the next one.”

Bees’ striker Sam Clark also withdrew from the warm up.

Fricker said: “He had to come off last week with a knee injury. We had him on the bench as a precaution and he just pulled up in the warm-up, (it was) still niggling him so we couldn’t risk him.”

Bees: Hutchings, Williams, King, McGrath, Martin, Symes, Peach (Condliffe 75), Thomas (Cox 60), Andrews, Butcher, Salter, Sub not used: Clark