25th April 2012

FOOTBALL: Third team still in with chance of promotion

By Stuart Broom

WITH no first team game, the focus was on Bridport’s reserves and third teams on Saturday.

The reserves, currently seventh in the Magna Dorset Premier League, are halfway through one of the hardest run-ins they could have had, having to play five of the six sides above them in their last seven matches.

A loss at home to Wincanton Town was followed by a point against Holt United, before Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat by Chickerell United.

With Swanage & Herston, and the two title contenders Portland United and Westlands Sports to follow it won’t be easy, but they have broken the 50 point barrier which will please joint managers Steve Crabb and Mark Lock.

With Milborne Sports having lost at Gillingham A, Bridport Thirds are guaranteed third place in the Dorset League Division Two and could still get promotion.

Corfe Mullen are certain to be promoted, and the 11th Signal Regiment, with games in hand, are favourites to go with them, but they still have to play Corfe Mullen and Milborne Sports in their final four games.

Chickens rule roost after slow start

Bridport Reserves 1 Chickerell Utd 3

BRIDPORT Reserves found Chickerell United too good for them on Saturday at St Mary’s Field.

After a goal less first-half the Bees took the lead, but the Chickens capitalised on Bridport’s mistakes to cement their top six spot.

First team manager Trevor Senior took charge with joint managers Steve Crabb and Mark Lock at former Bee Tom Coggin’s wedding.

Senior said: “Chickerell deserved to win. We started brightly and passed it around well but then as the game went on we became ragged.

“They’ve had a lot of games recently and ran out of ideas, but they’ve had a good season and will finish in the top eight which is good.

“Chickerell had a goal disallowed in the first-half for a foul on Lee Cleal which I saw nothing wrong with, but having said that in the build up to the goal the referee overruled the assistant over a throw-in that was clearly ours, which led to the cross from which the incident happened.”

Jamie Morgan gave the Bees the lead soon after the restart when he followed up after Ashley Weekes could only parry Dom McAllister’s shot from the edge of the box, and although he finished it well, there was a suspicion of offside.

Bridport should have prevented Chickerell’s equaliser, allowing Nick Etherington to go on a mazy run before finding the net, and then were caught out when an attack broke down and Weekes quickly set up a Tom Peck to score.

Etherington completed the scoring from the penalty spot and could have completed his hat-trick from another spot-kick awarded after a melee that saw Morgan dismissed for a second yellow card.

However this time Cleal produced a great save diving to his right to keep the ball out.

Cleal will have keyhole surgery on his knee, thought to be some floating cartilage, on May 16th.

Corfe Castle 0 Bridport Thirds 8

BRIDPORT Thirds have now done everything they can, and now have to rely on other results to see if they are promoted to Dorset League Division One next season after thrashing Corfe Castle in their final fixture.

The Bees could have indeed won by more, but playing into the elements on a bumpy pitch in the first-half, the hosts enjoyed parity for the first 15 minutes before Tristan Gale took advantage of a poor back pass to open the scoring.

Ashley Walkey then hit a post before Bridport added three more, a second from Gale, a thumping shot from from Chris Symes and a Gary Bulman penalty after Tom Marsh had been fouled.

The second-half saw Bridport totally in control and Symes completed his hat trick with two similar goals; 30 yard shots bent around the keeper, one in the top corner and the other a little lower. Marsh then added a brace to complete the scoring.

The first team play their final match of the campaign, secure in the knowledge that they will be playing Toolstation Western League Premier Division football next season when they entertain Street on Saturday.

Apart from long term injuries to brothers Sam and Joe Charles, Senior has a full squad to choose from.

PICTURE: TRISTAN GALE A double in the 8-0 hammering of Corfe Castle.

Photo by Rob Quincey SportPix/facebook