8:51am Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Derek Bish
BRIDPORT will take to the field for arguably their biggest game of the season when they host Larkhall Athletic in the quarter-finals of the Les Phillips Cup at St Mary’s Field tonight (7.45pm).
The Bees should be at full strength for the tie, meaning 6ft 4in striker Sam Charles, who hit a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Devizes Town on Saturday, could lead the line once again.
Trevor Senior’s charges are the only Toolstation Western League Division One side left in the competition and the boss hopes to successfully plot the downfall of their Premier Division opponents.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Senior. “We couldn’t have gone into the game any better, on the back of two wins, and that’s seven wins in nine games in all competitions, so we’ve got a bit of a run going.
“We’ve had some decent cup results this season, including Brislington, Dawlish and Truro away.
“By all accounts, Larkhall are a good footballing side, which is the way we like to play.”
Larkhall won Toolstation Western League Division One last season, doing the double over the Bees in the process by winning each of their league fixtures 5-0.
They have adapted to life in the Premier Division reasonably well this term and lie 10th, but enter the quarter-final tie at St Mary’s Field on the back of just one win in their last six league games.
Bridport, on the other hand, have had an upturn in form winning five of their last seven Division One fixtures to climb up to 12th.
Their latest success was the 4-0 defeat of Devizes Town on Saturday, during which Charles scored a treble to take his tally to four in his last 105 minutes of football for the Bees.
“Sam is quite a laid back character off the field and you would say that about him on the field as well,” said Senior. “But that laid back attitude worked in his favour for his goals on Saturday because he took all three very calmly.
“I like to think we are capable of scoring goals from all over the pitch. Jamie Symes got another one on Saturday and he’s always in a position to score while Dan Wise, Darren Watts and Chris Clarke have all weighed in.”
Matt Condliffe is the Bees’ only injury worry after rolling his ankle on Saturday, but he should be fit enough to be part of a squad that will welcome back Ashley Clarke and Roger Cummings.
Bees (from): Fry, A Symes, Condliffe, Jones, Lock, Senior, Hayter, J Symes, Wise, Charles, C Bulman, Watts, C Clarke, A Clarke, Cummings.
* The winners of the quarter-final match will host Bishop Sutton in the last four.
Hallen and Welton Rovers have already secured semi-final berths.
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