BRISLINGTON 4

BRIDPORT 1

BRIDPORT scrapped their way to a 4-1 loss at Brislington – despite only having 12 players for their Toolstation Western League Premier Division encounter.

The patched-up Bees were managed by goalkeeper Greg Taylor in the absence of unavailable caretaker Shaun Annetts.

Midfielder Dom McAllister was Taylor’s assistant and reserve-team assistant Mark Lock – a former interim boss for the Bees in 2008 – helped the duo.

What they received was a typically battling performance from a spirited Bridport side faced with all kinds of adversity this season.

READ MORE: The rapid rise of Weymouth football agent Jordan Allen - feature

Harry Boulton went close with a snapshot at 0-0 for Bridport, forcing keeper George Dorrington to fumble.

However, the young Bees found themselves 1-0 down at half-time thanks to Conor McCormack’s goal but Bridport did threaten with two Jake Owen shots.

Fortune favoured Briz for their next two goals when a bobble allowed Josh Brace to volley home before Danny Barwood’s effort took a wicked deflection off McAllister’s back, leaving Taylor stricken in the opposite corner.

Bridport, as they have done all season, kept plugging away and were rewarded with a rare goal when Mike Hill raced through one-on-one and tucked away a tidy finish past Dorrington.

Hill is now the Bees’ top scorer of the season with four – but the Foxes also took their tally to four in this game when George Jones completed the scoring.

Post match, Taylor said: “We were loads better, we set up a little differently to what we normally do (3-5-2).

“Being straight about it, we went with 12 players, Locky drove the bus and I ran the team.

“You can’t ask any more than what all the lads gave, including Locky and everybody in the changing room – everybody gave absolutely everything.

“They did the football club as proud as they could. They battled hard and at 3-1 it was a game of football.

“At 0-0 it was a game of football and at 1-0 it was a game of football. It was competitive, we didn’t get battered by any stretch.

“They scored a fourth in injury-time. We were better but we’ve got to build on that next week.

“But nobody knows what’s going to go on from one week to the next. All the boys there want to play for the club.

“I’m proud of all the lads that played but Brislington are a good side and we got out-thought in the end – but we didn’t get out-fought.”

Bees: Taylor, Greenwood-Neate, Carlile, A Steele, Owen, McAllister, Burwood, Osei-Kumi, Hill, Boulton (Brook 70), Arnold.

Attendance: 55