Senior set to call on reserves for Bridport (From Dorset Echo)

Senior set to call on reserves for Bridport

7:00pm Monday 11th February 2013 in Football By David Williams, Sports Reporter

TREVOR Senior will make a push this week to extend Jamie Symes’ loan spell, which is set to end after Saturday’s home clash with Buck-land Athletic.

First, though, there is the small matter of a trip to Devon tonight as the Bees take on Ilfracombe Town at Marl-borough Park (7.45pm).

Sean Lillington deputises for Sam Filkins between the sticks again while the trio of captain Ryan Hayter, Russell Legg and Dean Ritchie are all unavailable.

That means Senior will have to call on a couple of reserve-team players to plug the gaps as the Bees attempt to move away from the foot of the Toolstation Western Premier Division table.

If a deal to keep Symes for longer cannot be brokered with parent club Dorchester Town, Senior knows that Bridport would have to make full use of his talents before a return to the Avenue.

“I’ll try and speak to Phil Simkin and see if we can extend Jamie’s loan,” he said. “He has only played two games since he’s been with us so he hasn’t really got the chance to improve his fitness.

“I’m hoping we can try and keep him for a bit longer. He can play tonight and Saturday but there is an option to extend the loan to 93 days.

“He wants to stay and we’d like him to stay.”

There was frustration all round on Saturday as Brid-port’s game against Gilling-ham Town at St Mary’s Field was postponed an hour before kick-off because part of the pitch was deemed too unsafe to play on.

Senior wants to put that disappointment behind him and move on though everyone at the club will be keeping an eye on the weather forecast today.

“At the end of the day it’s only a game of football and once we had calmed down everyone moved on and got home safely,” he added.

“It was just frustrating we couldn’t play and that people didn’t have a game to watch.

“Health and safety took over and if I’m honest we’ve got to look at it that way.

“I’m just a bit old school and played on some really bad pitches during my career.”

Ilfracombe sit ninth in the table and have won three of their last four fixtures, the first of those victories coming against title-chasing Bishops Sutton.

The sides have yet to meet this term while in the corresponding match last season goals from Dan Wise and Tom Richardson earned Bridport a 2-2 draw in Devon.

n Brislington’s visit to Bridport, postponed on January 26, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, February 19 (7.45pm).

It is the second in a run of six successive home games starting with Buckland this Saturday. Hallen (Feb 23), Odd Down (Mar 2), Barnstaple (Mar 5) and Larkhall Athletic (Mar 9) are the others.