BRIDPORT manager Chris Herbst will be ruthless in the face of any complacency from the Bees at Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police on Saturday (3pm).

Herbst’s men are flying high in second in the South West Peninsula League Premier East following seven games of the season.

They face a relative unknown in the form of Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police, who successfully applied for promotion out of Step 7 for the 2023/24 season.

Bridport travel to a side also nicknamed the Bees, the Devon club having finished third in the Devon League South West Division last season.

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And even though the Police sit 13th, at the time of writing, and have the second-highest tally of goals conceded (23), Herbst is guarding ruthlessly against complacency among his players.

He told the Bridport News: “Me and Locky (Mark Lock, assistant) are into them as soon as they get into the changing rooms.

“They know they have to perform at a level. If they don’t, i.e. the Dartmouth game, they know about it and know they’re going to get absolutely (hammered).

“So, I don’t have any worries on that front, it’s just making sure we’re on them straight away.

“We all have a laugh and a joke on the way to the games obviously, but when we get into the changing rooms that’s when we switch on. It’s two hours focusing on the game.”

He added: “I’m just going to go back to the Dartmouth game. If turn up like we did, they’ll have a chance of winning.

“That’s what we’ve got to get out of them. Regardless of where they are in the league, we have to take every game seriously if we want to be contenders.”

Centre-back Dan Baggs (ankle) is out for two months after injuring ligaments while playing for the reserves in midweek. Darren Lock is also out but Ryan Gall steps up.