BRIDPORT 1

Clarke 84

EXMOUTH TOWN 3

Harris 19, 45, Lever 35

BRIDPORT were left to rue the concession of three soft goals as Exmouth Town completed a Toolstation Western League Premier Division double over the Bees with a 3-1 win at St Mary’s Field.

Exmouth had beaten Bridport 4-1 on the opening day of the season and, on paper, this result looked just as one-sided with Town 3-0 up at half-time.

However, one-sided it was not. Bridport enjoyed some excellent spells early in the first half and throughout the second 45.

Tony Pinder went close soon after the whistle, while Dec Cornish saw a shot deflected wide.

Exmouth led against the run of play when Jordan Harris bulleted an effort home past Bees’ keeper Scott Wells-Burr from 20 yards.

Bridport were denied a penalty for an apparent push on Lewis Clarke before Exmouth’s Ace High and Denny Aarron both missed presentable chances.

Town went 2-0 up when Mark Lever’s tame header somehow trickled over the line past a crowded six-yard box with Wells-Burr motionless.

And Exmouth punished the Bees further when Harris grabbed his second from 10 yards just before the interval.

Bridport dominated play in the second period but could not test Town gloveman Robbie Powell frequently enough.

It was to a battling Bridport’s credit that they won an 82nd-minute penalty but Clarke saw his attempt saved and sub Riley Greenwood-Neate was also denied as Powell stooped for a superb double stop.

Clarke atoned for his miss two minutes later but Exmouth were well ahead and rose two places to fourth with victory, while the Bees remain 18th.

Bridport assistant-manager Kevin Leigh said: “We started off very well. The first 15, 20 minutes it was all us.

“We were very pleased with the way we were creating chances and from our attack they went down the other end and scored a soft goal.

“We thought ‘hello, here we go’. You’re hoping you can still play without any fear, like they had been – and they carried on. We couldn’t knock them at all, apart from the soft goals.

“Scott had no chance with them, it was just defensively we were poor.

“All-round, we put in a very good performance in the first half.

“I’m not joking, it was all us (in the second half). They had a couple of breakaways, but then we had a penalty and the keeper made a magnificent save to keep it out.

“We eventually got a goal back but I can’t stress enough, the majority of the second half was all us.”

Bees: Wells-Burr, Warren, Holmes, Butcher, Salter, Westlake (Greenwood-Neate 70), Cornish, Handyside, Gape, Clarke, Pinder (Richardson 70). Subs not used: Beals, Coombs, McAuley.

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