BRIDPORT RESERVES 1 MERE TOWN 2

ROBIN Townsend was disappointed his side couldn’t follow up last weekend’s victory over Blandford with at least a point in their midweek clash with title outsiders Mere Town.

Ben Clarke’s second-half penalty had hauled the Bees level after the visitors took a 1-0 lead into the interval at St Mary’s Field.

But Mere grabbed what proved to be the match-winning goal with around 20 minutes left when Bridport failed to clear a hotly-disputed corner.

Townsend was flummoxed when the referee, who originally gave a goal-kick, changed his mind on the advice of his linesman.

“I’m a little bit disappointed we didn’t get at least a point,” said the Bees’ boss. “I thought we probably should have had something out of the game.

“One or two decisions didn’t go our way and that seems to be the norm at the mom- ent.

“We fell asleep in the first 10 minutes and they scored, but we were the better side before half-time.

“We got ourselves back into the game with a penalty and the momentum should have been with us then, but for whatever reason it didn’t go that way.”

And on Mere’s second goal, he added: “The referee, who was about 10 yards away, gave us a goal-kick and then changed his mind when the linesman, who was 25 yards away, said it was a corner.

“But we didn’t defend the corner very well and you can’t blame the referee for that.

“We didn’t stick a man on the front post and after we had half-cleared the ball it came back into the box and flew in the top corner. That was with 20 minutes to go and we tried to push on but they defended well.

“We huffed and puffed but didn’t really create much, which was disappointing.”

The win moved fifth-placed Mere four points clear of the Bees in the Dorset Prem-ier League table.

This Saturday, Bridport, who overcame Blandford 4-3 last weekend with goals from Ben Clarke (2), Adam Steele and Simon Gale on his debut, travel to championship contenders Hamworthy Recreation (3pm).

Bees: Peart, Senior (S Gale 35), A Clarke, King, Steele, McClements, Hailu, Cummings (Rh Hayter 75), B Clarke, Scovell (T Gale 60), Evans.