BRIDPORT bounced back from an enforced break due to the weather to make progress in the Les Phillips Cup at St Mary’s Field.

The Bees earned the win with a goal from Richard Hebditch and another from Mark Salter, either side of a Willand Rovers equaliser six minutes before the break.

Hebditch opened the scoring after 20 minutes as a good bit of play down the right-hand side found him on the edge of the box, where he got past one player and fired home to give the Bees the lead.

Their opponents had a penalty shout a few minutes later which resulted in one of their players being booked for a dive.

The equaliser came after an attempted Bees’ clearance led to a free-kick as the defender made contact with a Rovers’ player.

From the resulting free-kick Bridport had chances to clear but couldn’t do so as Craig Veal scrambled the ball in.

The two sides went in at the break level but it was to be the home side that would pounce shortly after the restart.

Kameron Andrews on the right hand side played a crossfield ball to Ed Butcher behind the defence.

From here, Butcher got into the box and as he was about to pull the trigger he was taken down by a defender but the ball fell to Salter, who tapped in from five yards out.

The second half saw the Bees create more chances and it was only a great save that stopped Oscar Latas from burying a shot in the top corner.

The last 10 minutes saw the away side play a few long balls into the box as they sought to try and get an equaliser but the Bees held firm.

After the match, Bees’ boss Adam Fricker said: “We’re delighted. We knew it was going to be tough against an in-form Willand Rovers side as we haven’t played for three weeks and they’ve been playing regularly.

“Our biggest concern was that we knew we could compete with them from a standard perspective but it was just what our match fitness was like.

Fricker was pleased with his side’s performance as he added: “The lads were excellent thoroughly deserved the victory.”

Bridport are 14th in the table with 17 points in the Toolstation Western Premier Division and in their next match they will be away in the league against Odd Down, who are currently seventh with 22 points.

Bees: Hutchings, Andrews (Hill 73), Sweet, Symes, Rutter, Martin, Latas, Vance, Salter, Butcher (Thomas 79), Hebditch (Cornish 78).

Attendance: 97

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