MELKSHAM TOWN 1

BRIDPORT 2

STRIKER Ryan Dovell claimed a brace on his return to the Bridport starting line-up, as the Bees produced a strong display away from home to overcome Melksham Town.

Having missed last week’s goalless draw with Hallen due to work commitments. Dovell, the Bees top scorer in the league this season, latched on to two crosses from Dan Wise to net with his head and strike a sweet volley within 20 minutes of the first-half, as Bridport got off to a lightning start at the Conigre.

And although the hosts pulled one back before half-time to set up a lively second period, Trevor Senior’s men stood firm to claim all three points.

Bridport boss Senior told Echosport: “We played very well and created quite a few chances when the wind was in our favour in the first half.

“We carved them open a number of times and had a number of crosses that were either blocked or cleared away. We were really on top and the only disappointing thing about the first half was that we didn’t come in three or four goals clear.”

And Dovell, who now has 16 goals for the campaign, could have added another to his tally just before the break when his header bounced off the crossbar and was scrambled away by the home side.

Senior added: “We were up against it at times in the second-half, our shots at goal were limited and they had a few good chances, but sometimes you just have to dig in and the lads did that well.”

On his top scorer, the Bees’ manager claimed: “We changed the system on Saturday and when Ryan plays up front on his own he leads the line very well, his work rate is tremendous and he sets a great example to the younger members of the squad around him.”

The result means that Senior’s charges have claimed eight points from their last four games away from home and sit in 14th place in the Western Premier Division.

Bees: S Filkins, J Filkins, Condliffe, Evans, Stuart, Hayter (Buckler 74), Luke (Senior 82), Wise, Richardson (Hailu 84), Dovell, Morley.