BRIDPORT 1 ROMAN GLASS 1

BRIDPORT will struggle to break their mid-table shackles unless they uncover a “ruthless” streak, according to assistant-boss Andy Mason.

Mason’s remarks came after he surveyed the Toolstation Western League Division One stalemate with Roman Glass St George on Saturday.

Tom Coggins, an unsung component of the midfield quartet, appeared to have laid the victory groundwork by opening his account in the first period.

But Roman Glass capitalised on the hosts’ listless second-half performance to rob them of the spoils late on – moments after spurning a penalty.

Speaking of another Jekyll-and-Hyde display, Mason said: “It’s so frustrating because we are such a different side sometimes in each half.

“We’ve been in this position so many times when we’ve done well and got in front but have allowed teams to get back into the game.

“We just can’t get over the finish line comfortably – we haven’t done it often enough and it’s happening too much for it to be a coincidence.

“Ten games ago we were looking at finishing in the top eight but we’re in the position we are through bad play and haven’t done enough to get higher in the table.”

As the management pair devise a blueprint for next term, a once promising campaign in which Bridport have consistently flirted with the upper half has fizzled out.

Three points against Roman Glass would have refuelled such thoughts but failure to win for the fifth successive time has ultimately swerved that train into the buffers.

Hutchinson’s attempt to mobilise a bumper turnout went largely unheeded as a below-average gate turned out on a blustery afternoon in West Dorset.

Still, a rare goal on 38 minutes for Coggins, who applied the gloss to a well-crafted move involving Matt Condliffe and Gary Bulman, positioned the Bees in the box seat.

The visitors threatened more as the match progressed and were awarded a penalty deep into the second half when Ashley Clarke was penalised for handball.

Playmaker Dan Aldridge stepped up only to direct his effort wide of the upright as a collective sigh of relief reverberated around the ground.

However, in a late twist, Aldridge atoned for his blunder by converting Ian Power’s centre to gatecrash Bridport’s end-of-season party at St Mary’s Field.

Bees: Cuff, Bulman, Herbst, Hayter, Lock (McClements 90), Coggins, Fleet, Wise, Evans (Senior 86), A Clarke (Ward 89), Condliffe.

Bees’ Man of the Match (sponsored and donated by the supporters): Harry Fleet Attendance: 85