PARLEY SPORTS 4 BRIDPORT RESERVES 3

BRIDPORT Reserves were narrowly beaten in a topsy-turvy encounter against Parley Sports, as they had to play the last 40 minutes of the game with 10 men.

It was all going well for the Bees when Jack Scovell hit a screamer into the top corner to give his side the lead.

But Robin Townsend’s men went in at half-time a goal down as Parley led 3-2.

Townsend told Echosport: “We were much better than last week and we were definitely the better side in the opening 20 minutes.

“It was some of the best football we have played for three or four games.”

On Scovell’s wonder-strike, he said: “It was probably a contender for goal of the season for us.

“It was a great ball by Simon Gale over the top and Jack got it under control and smashed it in.”

But disaster struck for the visitors minutes after half-time.

Russell Legg was given his marching orders for using foul and abusive language towards an official, though Townsend felt it was a case of double standards from the referee.

The Bees’ boss added: “We can’t really moan about it, but we heard one of their lads do the exact same in the first half and the referee did nothing about it.”

Down a goal and a man, Townsend’s men could not get back into the contest and eventually succumbed to a 4-3 defeat. He added: “I think we were worthy of at least a point, but with 10 men for 40 minutes it’s a killer.

“It was always going to be hard for us.

“I think with 11 we would have got something out of it because we were definitely the better side in the first half.

“I thought every time we went forward we looked like we were going to score.

“But with 10 men you are always going to leave yourself open.

“We kept going and we battled well so I have no complaints.”

Bees: Fleet, King (Cummings 60), Day, Clarke, Lock, S Gale (Fry 70), Legg, Hailu, T Gale (McClements 60), Bulman, Scovell