BRIDPORT 2 WILLAND ROVERS 4

BEES’ boss Trevor Senior witnessed an action-packed contest that had it all at St Mary’s field, as his side succumbed to a 4-2 defeat against Willand Rovers.

Bridport went in at the break 3-0 behind, but that only told half the story in an opening 45 minutes full of incidents and questionable refereeing decisions.

While Senior admitted the visitors were strong and inventive on their set-piece moves throughout the encounter, he believed that some of the decisions leading up to the goals were open for debate.

“I don’t want to go on about decisions but for the first goal, the ball had gone out for a goal kick and the assistant gave a corner, from that they scored,” he told Echosport.

Following that, Bees’ striker Ryan Dovell had claims for a penalty waved away and a clear-cut chance fell to Tom Richard-son, but Devon-based Willand were given the opportunity of a free header from another set-piece to make it two.

Chris Senior then couldn’t make the most of a rebound from Dan Wise’s free-kick, and then the Bridport boss was left to ponder yet another call by the officials for the away side’s third goal.

He added: “The linesman flag-ged for offside against them and after that we conceded a foul, the linesman put his flag down and gave them a free-kick, which they scored from.

“We were 3-0 down and we probably had the three best chances of the half. I think that the decisions do even out over the season though, and the officials have to work as a team the same as we do.”

But with the game seemingly up for the Bees, they rallied in the final five minutes with goals coming from substitutes Rhys Hayter and Jamie Symes to make it 3-2 and set up a grandstand finish.

Hayter was then in again at the far post and had a header at goal cleared off the line by a visiting defender.

But with only one Bridport man back, Willand went up the other end and scored in the dying moments to make it 4-2.

Senior added: “All in all it was eventful, it was exciting, and I was pleased with the character we showed to come back in the second half.”

Bees: Weeks, J Filkins, Condliffe, Clarke, Senior (Stewart 46), Ry Hayter, A Symes (Rh Hayter 80), Wise, Richardson, Dovell, Morley (J Symes 70) Man of the match: Jamie Filkins