Hailu the hero in Bees' fight back (From Dorset Echo)

Hailu the hero in Bees' fight back

8:06am Monday 7th January 2013 in Football By David Williams, Sports Reporter

BRIDPORT 4 STREET 4

BRIDPORT came from 3-1 and 4-2 down to secure a deserved draw at St Mary’s Field and win the acclaim of boss Trevor Senior.

The hosts were well worth a point and even staged their second-half fight back while down to 10 men after the dismissal of Russell Legg for two bookable offences.

Striker Michael Hailu starred for Bridport with a brace, one a spectacular acrobatic volley and the other the equaliser to make it 4-4, with Dan Wise and Ryan Dovell netting the others.

“Before the game we’d scored two goals in seven and then went and got four in one match,” said Senior, who was also pleased to see a sizable home crowd turn out for the Toolstation Western Premier Division clash.

“The lads deserved at least a point and I’ve got nothing but praise for them because they showed great character to come back like they did.

“They put in a great shift and we’ve got to take that into our next few games and keep being positive to get more points on the board.”

Bridport got off to the best possible start when Dovell played in Wise to make it 1-0 with only four minutes on the clock.

Ben Clarke came close to doubling the lead with a couple of headers but Bridport were undone by a long ball, which bounced over the back four and Sam Filkins could do nothing as he was lobbed.

The visitors then went in front but the Bees appeared to have levelled when Dovell reacted quickest to a Hailu effort that came back off the bar only for the former to be flagged for offside.

Things got worse for the home side as Street took a 3-1 advantage into the break, however, a stunning run and 30-yard piledriver from Dovell halved the deficit.

Senior’s men were right back in it but they were caught with a sucker punch when a misjudged back pass resulted in a free-kick which was headed in.

Already facing an uphill struggle, Legg was sent off to leave the Bees with an even bigger mountain to climb.

That, though, seemed to spur them into life and Hailu’s brilliant strike was followed by another within 10 minutes. There were chances for both sides to win it but in the end they could not be separated.

Bees: S Filkins, Hayter, Condliffe, Evans, C Clarke (Lock 83), Legg, Luke, Wise, Dovell (Ritchie 88), B Clarke, Hailu