BRIDPORT 1
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER 2
Having led from the 21st minute of the game, Bridport self-destructed in a six minute spell, handing University of Exeter AFC the three points.
The visitors thought that they'd taken the lead as early as the 7th minute, but with the home crowd howling that there had been a very obvious offside in the build-up, following a prolonged discussion by the ref with his assistant on the river side touchline, the goal was disallowed.
Bridport took the lead when Exeter's Charlie Hewlett hacked the ball away for a corner, Fred Parsons heading the resultant kick home from six yards in the 21st minute.
The Bees seemed to be outthinking their opponents and in the 30th minute Luke King was unlucky when his shot flew narrowly over the University crossbar.
The final ten minutes of the half saw The Bees playing into the face of driving drizzle, but they survived two near misses to retain their lead.
The University team started the second period in attack mode with the marvellously named Ted Buggle heading over the bar in the first minute.
His team were denied an equaliser six minutes later when a goal was ruled offside, but they had goalie Ross Mason to thank after he made a full stretch save to deny an own goal in the 54th minute.
Things were getting heated on the hour as both the visiting manager and a team member were booked for dissent.
Shortly after, Ollie Kavanagh hooked a shot over home keeper Josh Attwood's bar and in the 74th minute, Buggle and Jayden Maslen both threatened the home goal shortly before Bridport's day imploded.
As the driving drizzle soaked St Mary's, Oscar Lovell fouled Buggle in the penalty area in the 78th minute, a gift that Kavanagh gleefully converted.
Exeter University had been playing better in the second half, but Bridport were the architects of their own destruction six minutes later when a series of defensive errors allowed Michael Massey to pounce on a back pass to fire past Attwood for the winning goal.
Share