STURMINSTER NEWTON 0

BRIDPORT RESERVES 3

BRIDPORT Reserves secured their first Dorset Premier League victory since late October with a superb 3-0 win at Sturminster Newton.

Goals from Finn Cooper, skipper Alfie Ward and Riley Weedon gave the Bees’ second string all three points, but the scoreline could have been inflated further had Shaun Annetts’ men converted a plethora of missed chances.

Speaking to the Bridport News about the triumph, Annetts felt his players had “ticked all my boxes”.

He said: “We were very confident and it couldn’t have gone much better. We restricted Sturminster Newton to very few chances – Billy Fleet only had to make two saves.

“Everything I asked of the players they gave me. They enjoyed the result and I certainly did. It’s been coming and they ticked my all my boxes.”

Talking through the goals, Annetts saved particular praise for Ward’s “wonderful” top-corner effort.

He said: “We scored quite early on when Dominic McAllister put a lovely through ball to Finn Cooper, who is very, very quick. He managed to outstrip the defence to slot the ball in.

“Second half they came out and they got amongst us a bit and left a few tackles on us. We knew that was going to come, but they got up and carried on.

“For the second, we picked the ball up in midfield and Alfie ran across the top of the 18-yard box and took a shot that went in the top of the bracket.

“It was a wonderful strike and another performance from him. Every one of the players celebrated the goal, it shows the togetherness.”

He added: “To be honest that took the stuffing out of them. We scored another one with a lovely through ball from Jake Mansley and Sturminster Newton tried to press us.

“But Riley timed his run beautifully and finished to make it three. It was three good goals from an outstanding team performance.

“And the attitude of the (four unused) subs was that they wanted the best for the team. It was top notch.”

Elaborating on the Bees’ missed chances, Annetts insisted it would have been a "travesty” if his side had not won the game.

He said: “We missed quite a few chances and the scoreline could have been better than it was.

“Early in the second-half Jake fouled one of their attackers when he was through and the ref pointed to the spot. Our players were adamant the incident was outside the box and it was overturned.

“If we hadn’t won the game with the way we played it would have been a travesty.”

Bees: Fleet, Strelley, Mansley, Gall, Storey, McAllister, Scadding (Hunter 65), Ward, Weedon, Handyside, Cooper. Subs not used: Paul, Radivojsa, Bagg, Tozer