BRIDPORT 0
HONITON 1
Bridport suffered its second defeat of the season, losing 1-0 to Honiton Town in a performance that baffled the St Mary's faithful.
The Bees won last year's encounters with the Hippos by an aggregate score of eleven to one, but the only goal of this game came when, having won a throw-in almost straight from the kick-off, Aaron Pearse flicked the ball home from close range for the visitors.
In the fifth minute, the Bees were fortunate not to go further behind from a corner which Kieran Daniels cleared off the line, and it wasn't until the fifteenth minute of the game that the hosts won their first corner.
Midway through the half, the home fans were holding their breath as keeper Josh Attwood misjudged a cross which fortunately flew wide of the goal.
Meanwhile, the referee seemed to be confusing both teams to such an extent that, when Bridport launched an attack, both sides mutually reacted as if the Bees' Fred Parsons had wandered offside.
The player walked away from the ball only for the flustered official to frantically wave on, leaving him to regain possession, which sadly came to nothing.
The teams exchanged almost identical shots that flew over the bar near to the half-hour, but with the exception of Bridport's Lucas Voss launching a long-range shot five minutes before the break, the visitors retained their lead untroubled.
The second half continued in the same vein, with Honiton proving to be a tough nut to crack, with Matt Brown's 69th-minute shot still climbing as it flew over the Honiton crossbar.
The Bees were now penning their opponents into their own half, but a mixture of poor finishing and an Oscar Lovell goal-saving tackle nine minutes from time maintained the score.
With home supporters' frustrations growing, it was a surprise to most that there were no substitutions until the 82nd minute.
The Bees almost snatched a draw in the final minute, but with the goalkeeper beaten, Oscar Poole's 90th-minute attempt glanced off a goalpost to safety.
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