BRIDPORT 0

HONITON TOWN 0

BRIDPORT earned their first point of the South West Peninsula League Premier East season with an entertaining 0-0 draw at St Mary’s Field.

The result also ended Bridport’s staggering 48-game wait for a clean sheet – the Bees’ last shutout coming in the 2-0 win over Bridgwater in September 2020.

In this derby, with only 21 miles separating the sides, Honiton dominated the opening exchanges as Elliott Dyer boomed a volley over from close range and Lewis Couch dragged a shot wide.

Bridport’s Jack White was later penalised for handball and when Couch slammed the free-kick into the wall Tom Perryman skied the rebound out of the ground.

READ MORE: Ivybridge Town 1-0 Bridport - match report

Bridport were without boss Edgar Marcu on the sideline as he sat out the second game of a three-match stadium ban for a red card during the 9-0 thrashing at Tavistock last season.

The Romanian was watching from outside the ground and was joined by Bridport’s first shot as Radu Bogdan blasted high over the bar from 25 yards following good play from Sol Ayunga and Josh Hunter.

Bridport cries for a penalty fell on deaf ears when Ayunga tumbled in the box under pressure from Owen Hanks, before the Bees had keeper Callum Smalley to thank for a superb reflex save from Joel Jackson’s header.

Nine minutes from the break, Bridport nearly went 1-0 up themselves when Town keeper Jake Wreford parried Ayunga’s tame shot towards Hunter, whose follow-up was blocked on the line.

Ayunga slammed a powerful free-kick wide in the last chance of the half, Bridport then switching Bogdan for Jake Owen in their first change.

However, Honiton’s own sub, Aaron Doble, was lucky to stay on the pitch for a forceful tackle on Callum Arnold which saw the forward catapulted into the air.

Doble was shown yellow for the Hippos, who again went close thanks to another substitute in the shape of Giles Basson, the speedy winger cutting inside on the break and coaxing a good save from Smalley.

With time ticking down, the game became increasingly stretched with neither side prepared to settle for a point.

Ben Ede lashed a fierce 25-yard drive at Smalley before the outstanding Owen Peart flashed a shot wide at the other end in the 90th minute.

Bridport finished with ten men as sub Dan Peart was sin-binned for dissent, but that did not stop his sibling Owen from tormenting Honiton with his skill in the 96th minute.

The Weymouth loanee slalomed through three challenges and got a shot off to win a corner, which he took and almost planted on the head of the incoming Dan Baggs.

From the counter, Honiton thought they had won it when Jackson raced to the near post to backheel at goal, only for Smalley to prove his worth with another wonderful save in the final serious action.

Reflecting post-match, Marcu said: “Still plenty of work to do in the final third but we’ve passed the ball really well at some points in the game.

“We still need that decision-making and we need to work on that to be quick.

“Defending-wise we played really well but I think our major problem is the final third, we have a lack of inspiration.

“Apart from that there were loads of positives in the game. I have to understand it’s a rebuilding process, it’s not easy.

“Honiton played really well and have quality players, they are defending really well.”

On a first clean sheet for 48 games, Marcu praised keeper Smalley for a robust display.

He said: “I gave him loads of trust and I really believe in Callum. He’s a player who will make it at a higher level.

“He’s a very good addition, there’s no doubt. We’ve done a massive improvement and we have to look at Dan and Ryan Gall, two amazing defenders.

“Then obviously Callum and Jack White. I brought him from the Perry Street League and look how he’s playing.

“Josh Grace has improved a lot and in order to start to win games you have to have a very strong defence.

“Everything starts with this and then you can build. It’s something we work on and you can see it.”

Bridport host Crediton on Saturday in their third league game of the season (3pm).

Bees: Smalley, Mamanta (Grace 80), White, Gall, Baggs, Greenwood-Neate (Nitu 69), O Peart, Arnold (Yu 69), Hunter, Ayunga, Bogdan (Owen 46). Sub not used: Wootton.