BRIDPORT 2

OKEHAMPTON ARGYLE 3

TEN-MAN Bridport suffered a cruel semi-final defeat as Okehampton Argyle came from 2-0 down to win their Walter C Parson Cup tie 3-2.

Josh Coles was the hero for Argyle, completing a hat-trick in the 114th minute after Riley Weedon’s brace put Bridport in control.

However, after Coles pulled one back, Bridport’s evening unravelled as Jordon Scadding saw red for a reckless foul on Dan Koita.

Coles scored in the 86th minute to deny Bridport victory and then netted deep into extra-time to break their hearts once more.

READ MORE: Elburton Villa 2-2 Bridport - report

Bridport had begun shakily as Jake Owen and Adam Diaz nursed injuries in the third minute, the latter’s more serious as he moved gingerly throughout the first half.

When the Bees settled, Ryan Gall headed a George Calverley free-kick wide but the Dorset side would soon go ahead in the 19th minute.

Josh Robins’ misjudged header allowed Harley Brook to scamper in on the right and his sublime cross picked out Weedon who nodded back across goal and beyond keeper Mike Searle for 1-0.

Seven minutes later, both Weedon and Bridport had two.

Calverley’s mishit shot scooted towards Weedon, who was following in and turned home the effort with a well-timed lunge past the committed Searle.

Okehampton responded brightly as Ryan Leader’s superb tackle denied Dan Koita with the goal gaping, but Argyle managed to halve the deficit in the 37th minute.

A long ball from right to left caught Bridport out as Coles controlled deftly on the edge of the box before lashing home past the onrushing Scadding.

But for another last-ditch block by Leader, Okehampton would have levelled 90 seconds later as Koita felt the centre-back’s forceful challenge again.

Having already conceded from a long ball, the same tactic undid Bridport nine minutes into the second period as Koita beat Scadding and drew a wild tackle from the goalkeeper that earned him a straight red.

Bridport switched Toby Diaz for Fred Parsons, who duly went in goal for the remaining 35 minutes.

Scadding’s dismissal forced Bridport to defend for their lives as Okehampton mounted almost constant pressure, beginning with Luke Mortimore blazing the free-kick over.

Parsons showed his handling skills with a stunning tip-over save to deny Coles, before claiming the resultant corner with ease.

Bridport had a rare glimpse of the Okehampton goal with 25 minutes to go, only for Calverley to blast over, and the ball was straight back in Bridport’s box as Mortimore fired low at Parsons.

Mortimore curled wide and Adam Hill nodded off target as Okehampton adopted a shoot-on-site policy.

Sub Ben Bickle was next to try his luck, denied by Parsons, before the makeshift keeper repelled Mortimore at the near post and watched Jamal Bokhammas nod wide.

Bridport breathed another sigh of relief on 85 minutes when the clean-through Bickle became the latest Okehampton player to curse Parsons’ handling.

However, Okehampton deservedly levelled a matter of seconds later as the pressure told, Coles controlling inside the box and bulleting a crisp finish past Parsons.

With seven added minutes called for, there was one final scare for Bridport to withstand as Jake Childs cleared a corner off the line with Parsons committed.

Bridport appeared exhausted in the closing stages and another 30 minutes looked set to test their resolve to the extreme.

Warming to the task, the Bees found renewed energy from somewhere in an even first period of extra-time.

Calverley rifled over in the 98th minute before Owen’s swing at a Bickle pull-back landed straight in Parsons’ gloves as Bridport enjoyed a slice of luck.

Parsons somehow blocked a clean-through Bickle seconds later before Calverley ran 50 yards on the break only to run out of steam and shoot tamely at Searle.

Both teams were out on their feet into the second period and the injured Weedon trudged off for Dan Baggs in the 106th minute.

Courageously, Bridport fought on as a stinging Calverley drive tested Searle at full stretch with 10 minutes remaining.

However, their luck ran out in the 114th minute as Coles’ dipping shot deceived Parsons on the dive, the ball squirming over his grasp and trickling home.

Bridport had one last chance as Kieren Daniels’ shot was diverted over the bar by a deflection but Okehampton defended the resulting two corners doggedly and closed out the remaining time to keep their hopes of retaining the cup alive.

Okey go on to face Elburton Villa in the final at Bovey Tracey on Monday, May 6.

Bees: Jo Scadding, A Diaz (Childs 46), G Calverley, Gall, Leader, Gape (J Etherington 70), Owen, Daniels, T Diaz (Parsons 55), Weedon (Baggs 106) Brook. Sub not used: Kamara.

Attendance: 154.