Kovacs sinks Bees

SHANE Evans netted his first league goal since August but Bridport could not escape defeat in a highly-charged encounter with Westbury United.

The goal-shy striker cancelled out Darren Billett’s opener early in the second half at St Mary’s Field only for the visitors to pinch the points through Daniel Kovacs.

Each side finished with 10 men as Tom Coggins was controversially shown a straight red by referee Gary Childs before Kovacs was dismissed for two bookable offences.

Injuries to Russell Legg and Chris Clarke, which may rule them out of next week’s penultimate Toolstation Western League Division One clash against Roman Glass St George, exacerbated the Bees’ third successive reversal.

Identifying his side’s shortcomings, boss Ian Hutchinson said: “We can’t put our chances away and that’s football for us because they’ve had two shots and scored two goals.

“It’s frustrating but I take my hat off to the boys because their desire and commitment was much improved and that’s what we want week in, week out.

“They’ve reacted well to Wednesday but it’s been the story of our season that we haven’t been able to score when we’ve been on top for long periods.”

Chris Herbst was handed a starting berth in place of Matt Condliffe, who was demoted to the bench following a series of unproductive displays.

Legg reclaimed his customary position with Chris Senior nursing a hamstring strain but Hutchinson’s plans were derailed when the midfield schemer and Clarke limped off prior to half-time.

Condliffe replaced Legg while Harry Fleet came on for Clarke as the Bees’ chief was prompted into a major rethink despite seeing his troops dictate play.

Gary Bulman had slipped Dan Wise’s diagonal pass into Ashley Clarke, whose snapshot drew a tidy save, before Evans swiped at an inviting cross from close range.

These misses came back to haunt Bridport when the visitors went ahead four minutes into the second period, Billett springing the offside trap and lobbing Lee Cuff.

The home side’s response was immediate as Evans cushioned Darren Lock’s free-kick before slamming home, much to the joy of his team-mates whose exaggerated celebrations emphasised the goal’s importance to their beleaguered frontman.

However, the equaliser became the prelude to a bizarre final passage that emulated the climax of Wednesday’s pulsating match – but for entirely different reasons.

Firstly, Coggins was given his marching orders for an indiscreet remark aimed at the referee after an errant elbow had left him prostrate on the turf.

Ten minutes later Westbury regained control when Kovacs rounded off a well-worked move before he received two yellow cards as the contest descended into farce.

Emotions frayed on and off the pitch while the Bees searched fruitlessly for a second leveller, which stretches their winless run to four games.

Bees: Cuff, Bulman, C Clarke (Fleet 42), R Hayter, Lock, Coggins, Legg (Condliffe 37), Wise, Evans, A Clarke, Herbst. Sub not used: McClements.

Booked: Evans Sent off: Coggins Bees’ Man of the Match (sponsored and donated by the supporters): Darren Lock Attendance: 110