Bridport manager Chris Herbst admitted his frustration after his side’s slow start proved costly in a 3–2 defeat away to Middlezoy Rovers.
The Bees went into the match looking to build on their 2-0 FA Vase win against Folland Sports, but found themselves 3–0 down by half-time after what Herbst described as a poor opening spell.
A penalty and two balls over the top left Bridport with a mountain to climb, despite their strong response after the early setbacks.
Herbst felt his players created more than enough opportunities to rescue something from the match, estimating that they had around 20 chances and struck the post or crossbar five times.
"It was a bad 15 or 20-minute spell and that was it really," he said.
"Giving ourselves a 3–0 deficit to chase is always going to be hard work.
"Once we settled down, we must have created 20 chances.
"We’ve hit the post and the bar five times in the game, so it’s not like we haven’t had the chances to put the game to bed even at 3–0 down."
The Bridport boss said he was disappointed that his side had not carried the momentum from their Vase victory into the league fixture.
He added that the defensive errors and lack of coordinated pressure early in the game were particularly hard to take.
"We can’t start so slow and give teams time to get on the ball and not press," Herbst said.
"We were pressing in ones and twos. It looked like it was our first game of the season."
Despite the defeat, Herbst took encouragement from the fight shown by his players as they reduced the deficit through Callum Arnold and Oscar Lovell in the second half, despite a late sending off of Darren Lock
“We ended the game well on top, so there are positives to take from it,” he said. “But we can’t be giving three goals away.
"The lads are very disappointed, which they should be, because we played poorly, gave them a chance and then turned it on - but it was all too late.”
The Bees now turn their attention to the fairly short trip to Honiton Town this weekend.
Herbst expects a physically demanding test and warned his side that Honiton will punish another hesitant start.
"If you give Honiton a sniff, they will be on us like a rash," he said.
"We’ve got to start as we finished the game, not as we started against Middlezoy."
The Bees have no injury concerns but Darren Lock is unavailable.
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