Bridport 2 Taunton Tn 3 BRIDPORT put on one of their best FA Cup displays of recent times, but again found soccer's glamour competition does them no favours at all.

The Bees matched their Dr Martens League opponents blow for blow during a thrilling preliminary-round tie at St Mary's Field.

While they may not done quite enough to have claimed a victory, their upbeat, battling performance was certainly worth a replay.

But, for the second time at home already this season, Bridport paid the price of a goal conceded for a blunder at the back.

The Bees had come out for the second-half in optimistic mood. They had held an uninspired Taunton side in the first-half and were now looking to push for match-winning goals at their favoured town end.

Within four minutes Taiunton had punished an error. Centre-back Darren Grabham dwelt on the ball deep in his own half and was robbed by Ian Bastow who went through to shoot low past Martin Peters and put Taunton ahead for the first time.

Two minutes later Chris Myers slammed moved forward to slam in a 30-yard drive that ripped past Peters like a shell and swerved into the corner of the Bridport net.

It was a two-goal burst that left the Bees with too much to do although they were able to demonstrate a high level of commitment and fitness with a spirited if vain pursuit of an equaliser over the final half-hour.

Player-manager Peter Conning was delighted with so many aspects of his side's performance. But he stressed that Bridport will get nowhere until they start cutting out the fatal errors.

He said: " I feel sorry for the lads because they put a lot of effort in. But it is about winning, and we have to stop giving silly goals away.

"I said to the players after the game that if we had not given that goal we had a chance of winning the game 2-1. We cannot afford errors like that."

Taunton played the more measured football but were not as dominant as they often were in recent years when visiting Bridport in the Screwfix Direct Premier Division.

Conning said: " I have seen some Taunton teams come here in the past and score six or seven goals. We have not lost like that today. Their fitness should have told - and it didn't."

With Richard Parkinson unwell, Mark Radcliffe was moved to a more combative role in the middle of park. He responded to his new role with the relish of the workaholic and still found time to break wide on the right and leave Taunton defenders trailing his incisive bursts.

It was from that same right flank that Bridport had fashioned the classic 21st minute goal that gave them the lead. Mike Flann broke almost to the by-line before hitting a peach of a cross which Simon Gale headed firmly just inside Ryan Draper's right-hand post.

Six minutes later Taunton equalised. Robbie Herrera crossed from the left, former-Bridport forward Peter Knox headed it on and Ellis Laight hooked it high into the net although under pressure from Tom Gardner.

Bridport responded to those Taunton goals early in the seocnd-half by netting a second of their own in the 54th minute. Conning slid a free-kick through the Taunton defence with a craftsman's precision and Andy Hitchcock ghosted in around the back to tap it over the line.

Immediately Bridport almost equalised when Flann broke clear on to Hitchcock's pass, but Draper made a vital block.

It was the Bees best chance of leveller despite a prolonged spell of late pressure.

Bridport: Peters; Grabham, Gardner, Newland, J Gisborne, Conning, M Radcliffe, Austin (Watson 83), S Gale, Hitchcock (Armstrong 83), Flann. Sub (not used): Whitfield.