ROMAN GLASS ST 0 BRIDPORT 2

JAMIE Symes fired a brace for the second match running to clinch Bridport a valuable victory over Roman Glass St George on Saturday.

Symes, who had notched a double against Welton Rovers the previous weekend, scored once in each half as the Bees maintained their 100 per cent record in all competitions.

The visitors dominated proceedings at Whiteway Road and would have won by a bigger margin had their shooting been more accurate.

Ryan Dovell, Russell Legg, Dan Wise and Shane Evans all squandered goal-scoring chances but a solid defensive display ensured those misses mattered not.

Bridport remain fifth in Toolstation Western League Division One and are three points behind early pacesetters Hengrove Athletic, over whom they hold a game in hand.

Bees’ boss Trevor Senior said: “To be honest we could have made it easier for ourselves because we had opportunities to score throughout the game.

“Roman Glass had a couple of dangerous players, but they didn’t cause us too many problems. We were excellent defensively again.

“They had a player sent off for head-butting Dan Wise at the end of the first half and it took us a while to get going after that, which can often happen against 10 men.

“The four teams above us all won so it was important we did the same. It could have been more comfortable but I’m delighted with the win and another clean sheet.”

As expected, Senior adopted a new formation, utilising Dovell as a lone striker and packing the midfield with attacking options.

And the tactical switch paid dividends on just 10 minutes when Symes exchanged passes with Dovell before drilling the ball home via the crossbar from some 25 yards.

Dovell almost extended the lead with a couple of headers, while Legg blazed over as Bridport sought to maximise their territorial advantage.

Roman Glass were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half-time when a home player was shown a straight red card by the referee for violent conduct against midfielder Wise.

Having taken time to readjust, the Bees started to reproduce the brand of football that characterised their first-half performance.

Substitute Evans could have scored twice after entering the fray, but Symes alleviated any doubts three minutes from time with a wonderful solo effort.

The 17-year-old playmaker regained possession near the corner flag before cutting inside and slotting the ball into the net.

Bridport’s perfect record may come under threat against high-flying Oldland Abbotonians, who visit St Mary’s Field tomorrow night (7.45pm).

Bees: Filkins, A Symes (Evans 70), Condliffe, Lock, Senior, Hayter, J Symes, Wise, Legg (Steele 84), Dovell, Watts.

Attendance: 35