BRIDPORT 1

LONGWELL GREEN SPORTS 0

CHRIS Clarke’s first-half header saw Bridport pick up three precious points at St Mary’s Field.

The Bees dominated the opening 45 minutes before suffering a few scares in the second half as Longwell Green Sports staged a desperate bid to find an equaliser which never materialised.

Bees’ boss Trevor Senior said: “In the first half we played some good football.

“We started brightly from the off and at half-time I couldn’t find any faults at all.

“In fact, the only disappointing thing was that we were not more than one up.

“Dan Wise’s deliveries from set- pieces were outstanding and it was one of those that led to the goal which saw Chris Clarke score with a free header.

“Tom Richardson also went close and then just before half-time Chris Senior had another header from one of Dan’s crosses brilliantly saved by their keeper, Austin Byfield, who used to be at Weymouth.

“Our overall play was very good in that half. Chris Clarke and Matt Condliffe were getting around the back of them and Mitch Conning was looking sharp up front.

“However, after the interval it was a bit different as they came back into it.

“They committed more men forward and although Sam Filkins didn’t have many saves to make they did have a lot more possession. There were not many opportunities at either end in the second half but they did have two strong shouts for penalties turned down.

“One of them was for handball, which we got very lucky with, but over the course of the 90 minutes we deserved the win and it was a big three points for us, particularly with the bottom four all losing.”

The Bees now sit 14th in the Toolstation Western Premier Division table, 10 points clear of the drop-zone.

Bees: Filkins, Condliffe, C Clarke, Hill, Senior, Hayter, Luke (Watts 80), Wise, Richardson (Morgan 70), Conning (J Charles 75), Legg.

Man of the Match: Chris Clarke.

Attendance: 113

* The Bees are without a league fixture this coming Saturday when they will host Lymington Town in a friendly at St Mary’s Field (3pm).