9:05am Monday 8th February 2010
By Rob Meech
BRILLIANT Bridport put Shepton Mallet to the sword with a swashbuckling second-half performance to capture a hat-trick of victories.
Three strikes in the space of nine post-interval minutes paved the way for a triumph that extended the Bees’ renaissance since the weather-induced hiatus.
Man-of-the-match Warren Byerley played another instrumental role and took his tally to two goals from as many games.
Matt Moors had broken the deadlock on 68 minutes at St Mary’s Field before substitute Jamie Symes scored either side of Byerley’s close-range effort.
In addition to registering their third straight win, Bridport also made it three successive clean sheets as young custodian Andy Suttle enjoyed an untroubled afternoon.
Trevor Senior sang the praises of his side, who had last scored four goals in one match in April 2009 under the stewardship of Ian Hutchinson.
“I told the lads at half-time that if we got the first goal we could go on to get a few more, because Shepton had clearly come for a point,” said boss Senior.
“Defensively we were excellent. Andy looked very assured in goal and more confident than he did last week.
“Warren was fantastic again. He holds the ball up well but also knows where the goal is.”
The Bees’ chief, whose side remain 15th in Toolstation West-ern League Division One added: “I said to the lads before the game to make a push for 10th spot and the final of the Les Phillips Cup, both of which we are capable of doing.”
Senior named an unchanged starting line-up but a heavy pitch, coupled with a pernickety referee, meant that rhythm was an elusive commodity.
Dan Wise had come closest to opening the scoring when his free-kick was deflected on to a post, while Chris Clarke’s follow-up attempt was more suited to Twickenham.
Though the first half lacked ebullience, the second was an altogether different affair once Moors had clipped Byerley’s fizzing cross beyond gloveman Liam McFarlane.
Suddenly, Bridport scented that the visitors’ rearguard was fallible and they tightened their stranglehold when Symes hammered the ball home.
New signing Steve Gilbert was introduced alongside Chris Senior in a double swap as the Bees sought a third goal, which arrived when Matt Condliffe’s delivery found Byerley in the right place at the right moment.
By now the Bees were rampant and they applied the coup de grace in stoppage time when Symes converted Byerley’s centre.
Bees: Suttle, Condliffe, C Clarke, Lock (Gilbert 75), Hill, Hayter, Jones (J Symes 65), Wise, Byerley, Watts, Moors (Senior 75). Attendance: 91 Man of the Match: Warren Byerley
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