BRIDPORT 3, BRISTOL MANOR FARM 0 BRIDPORT at last laid the home bogey that had kept them without a win at St Mary's Field since April.

Their convincing and purposeful display was their best of the campaign and it brought their first win in the Screwfix Direct Premier Division since the second Saturday of the season.

Manor Farm had spells of possession and goalkeeper Martin Peters made a couple of timely saves to prevent the Bristolians making inroads in to the Bridport lead.

But, for once this season, Bridport were never outplayed and they gave their long-suffering supporters some positive memories to tide them over the six mid-season weeks before they are home again.

There were again indications that the Bees are developing into a more solid outfit. Neil Copeland's power in the air has brought authority to their defensive work and around him Tom Gardner and Bob Cadman are both in their best form of the season.

James Gisborne and, until injured, Richard Middleton battled fiercely in midfield while up front two-goal Simon Gale had the most influential of his 42 first-team games for the Bees.

Bees manager Derek Walkey said: "I thought we were the better side in the first-half. Then we slackened off a bit and they pushed forward but, as the game went on we kept the ball a bit better and stretched them. The 3-0 scoreline may favour us a bit, but we will take it.

"Simon's first goal was well taken. He turned his man and stuck it in well. And any penalty is good as long as it his the back of the net."

Now, with four points out of the last six, there are signs that the Bees could be stirring themselves for a serious fight against relegation.

Gale had a 25th minute chance of opening the scoring when Copeland's strong headed clearance sent him through. But his lob drifted the wrong side of an upright.

Four minutes later, though, he hit the target emphatically to put the Bees ahead. Dan Taylor put him in possession on the left and he swayed past a couple of defenders before blasting an angled shot past Alister Hines.

In the 34th minute a run in from the opposite flank set up a vital second goal. He was checked as he dribbled in the the penalty-area, but completed a profitable five minutes by scoring from the spot himself.

It was a lead threatened either side of half-time by Manor Farm's best goal attempts of the game. In the 40th minute Martin Cook slipped the Bridport defence to shoot goalwards but Peters diverted the ball away for a corner.

Then, as Manor Farm launched a busy start to the second-half, the Bridport goalkeeper dived full-length to his right to keep out a header from substitute Adie Cowley.

The Bridport grip on that elusive home win tightened after 62 minutes with a goal Middleton will claim. He battled with the Manor Farm defence for a Gisborne cross from the right and saw the ball float just inside the upright.

From that moment on a Bridport side growing in confidence never looked in danger of defeat.

Bridport: Peters; Pashen, Gardner, Cadman, Copeland, Gisborne, Taylor, Middleton (White 70), S Gale, Hitchcock, T John. Sub (not used): Walkey.