MATT White came off the bench to hit a late winner for Portland at St Mary's Field to move them to the top of the Dorset Premier League table.

Bridport worked hard to contain their opponents but the Blues made more chances and deserved to take home the three points according to winning boss Dave Kiteley.

He said: "Bridport worked tirelessly and they are a good young side but they never looked like troubling us or going on to win the game.

"We dominated possession for the whole 90 minutes but our quality and decision making in the final third was not as good as it has been.

"We brought on Matt with 15 minutes to go and went three up top and it paid off. I think we deserved the goal and overall it was a pleasing display.

"The lads showed a lot of character and patience and we are certainly playing with a lot more freedom now so I am very happy."

Bridport boss Mike Savage said: "They were better than us but at the end of the day it just shows that we have improved.

"In the last 10 minutes they forced it and we got deeper and deeper trying to hold on. Then we gave the ball away on the halfway line and they broke and scored."

Savage took control of Bridport Reserves this summer and kicked off the Dorset Premier League season with a 6-0 defeat at Cobham Sports.

Since then they have worked hard in training and have produced encouraging displays that earned them a four-match unbeaten run before Saturday's match.

"I'm proud of the boys," added the Bees' boss. "It just shows how far we have come.

"They were better than us, they have played together for two or three years and they are a top three side but for effort we matched them.

"We even had a 20-minute spell in the second half when we played really well and you wouldn't have known who was the top three side and who wasn't."

During their second half purple patch Bridport's Roger Cummings fired the ball over the bar on the angle before Josh Burton nodded the ball off target.

However, their best chance had come in the first period when Aaron Thomas, racing in on goal, narrowly failed to get a boot on a brilliant ball across the face of goal from Burton.

Bridport stopper Mark Cuff had a marvellous game and he and the woodwork ensured the Bees reached the break level.

Cuff produced a superb save to deny Lewis Whyton before former Dorchester Town defender Michael Walker put an effort on to the bar.

Portland carried on making chances with John Lamb shooting over the top and Adam Linaker going close but the hosts continued to hang on.

Visiting keeper Paul Gadsby was a spectator for much of the clash and in the last third of the second half the Blues threw caution to the wind to try and clinch all three points.

Their endeavour paid off in the final minute when Lamb got to the byline and cut the ball back to White who slotted home from close range.

Bridport Reserves: M Cuff, J Maidment, Ward, Darby, Thomas, McClements, Cummings (Hitchcock, 76mins), Middleton, Burton, Potter, Flann. Sub not used: Boyer Portland: Gadsby, Percy (White 75), Walker, Perkins, Clarke (Cranny 50), Litherland, Halloran (Lambert 70), Doidge, Whyton, Linaker, Lamb.