BRIDPORT 3 BITTON 4

BRIDPORT boss Trevor Senior slammed his side’s sluggish start as the Bees were edged out in a seven-goal thriller at St Mary’s Field.

Goals from Tom Richardson, Jamie Filkins and Dan Wise, with a penalty, weren’t enough to earn anything for Senior’s charges.

Afterwards, the Bees’ chief voiced his frustrations at the way his side only seemed to start playing after the half-time interval.

“The first half was probably the worst we have played all season I think,” Senior told Echosport.

“Players that usually influence the game didn’t get into it, and when things aren’t going your way you have to get yourself involved.

“With the second-half performance we deserved more from the game, but it’s the same old story for the last two or three weeks.

“We are only sort of playing for a half at the moment, which is annoying.

“Although the game kicked off at seven minutes past three, we didn’t really start until two minutes into the second half.”

After Richardson scored his fifth goal in four games to equalise for the Bees just after the restart, Senior’s frustrations were not helped by a controversial second goal for the visitors that looked offside.

He added: “Even their centre-forward that scored the goal said he was offside. He was walking back from an offside position but there was no flag and he broke away unmarked and scored.

“You can’t do anything about that but it’s frustrating.”

Both sides scored twice more in the second half as Bitton took a 4-3 lead.

There was still time for the hosts to find a leveller and substitute Rhys Hayter had a header cleared off the line in the dying moments to deny Bridport a last-gasp point.

Senior’s men will now focus on their trip to Radstock Town on Tuesday night.

Bees: S Filkins, Morley (Clarke 65), Condliffe, Evans (Rh Hayter 79), Watts, Ry Hayter, Luke, Wise, Richardson, Stewart (Senior 65), J Filkins.

Attendance: 90