BRIDPORT 1

AXMINSTER TOWN 2

BRIDPORT sustained their first defeat of pre-season as Axminster Town came from behind to win 2-1 at St Mary’s Field.

Jamie Manley’s Bees dominated the opening stages and took the lead through Sol Ayunga.

Ben Haines started the move off down the left, and his cross was nodded back across goal by James Cox, with Ayunga lurking to bury his first Bridport goal for 1-0.

Axminster’s fightback was complete in just five minutes.

Route one football from the Tigers undid Bridport as Reece McCabe chased a flick-on from a long ball before slotting home past keeper Scott Wells-Burr with aplomb.

With the Tigers’ tails up, Axminster added a second almost immediately from the kick-off.

Pressure was applied to the Bees’ back three and Axminster pounced, setting up Mustafa Rehemi for an astute finish from a tight angle.

“We just had a mad five minutes,” Bees’ boss Jamie Manley said. “We conceded two goals where we shouldn’t be.

“I said to the lads ‘it’s a learning curve and I’d rather be conceding goals like that in pre-season than proper matches.’

“All in all, we started well and controlled the game – especially in the first half.

“We looked quite tight and Scott didn’t have a great deal to do.

“There’s positives to take out of it, it’s 90 minutes for the lads and we’re learning every game.”

Bridport host Manley’s former club Sherborne on Saturday (1pm).