BRIDPORT 4 CHIPPING SODBURY TOWN 2

BRIDPORT responded to Monday’s 1-0 defeat to champions Street with a simple 4-2 win over Chipping Sodbury Town in their Toolstation Western League Premier Division tussle at St Mary’s Field.

At times, Adam Fricker’s men looked too relaxed as Town twice scored against the run of play, but the Bees were good value for a victory that keeps them in 11th place with seven games remaining.

Ed Butcher handed the Bees a 16th-minute lead with a crisp half-volley, before George Box sped upfield from a Bridport corner before finishing well.

Oscar Latas made it 2-1 minutes later, cutting past a covering defender and beating Town’s keeper from a tight angle, before Richard Hebditch tucked away a penalty won after Lee Sweet was felled.

Town replied again on 44 minutes when Joe White buried a Jason Hutchings’ parry, before Andy Martin scored a free-kick from just off the byline deep into second-half stoppage time.

Speaking to Echosport after the clash, Fricker said: “We made hard work of it and should have been out of sight by half-time. We were a little bit complacent and had opportunities to kill the game completely. But it was a fourth game in seven days, so credit to them to come through it.”

Bridport travel to Hallen on Saturday (3pm) without Braeden Symes (unavailable), while Tom Richardson (knee) is out for the season. Sweet, Leigh Bailey and Matt Condliffe (all work) miss out, but Mark Salter returns.

Bees: Hutchings, Andrews, Bailey, McGrath, Sweet (Martin 62), Symes, Hebditch, Peach (Thomas 80), Cornish (Rutter 70), Butcher, Latas. Sub not used: Condliffe