Bees stunned by Odd Down (From This is Hampshire)

Bees stunned by Odd Down

7:20pm Sunday 3rd March 2013 in Hampshire Sport By David Williams, Sports Reporter

BRIDPORT 1 ODD DOWN 1

A LATE Odd Down equaliser put paid to Bridport’s hopes of back-to-back wins at St Mary’s Field.

Jamie Filkins gave the Bees the lead early in the second half and they looked set to follow up the victory over Hallen with another success before the visitors levelled with two minutes left.

Bridport boss Trevor Senior was frustrated his side couldn’t hang on but wasn’t too downbeat as his men made it four games unbeaten in the Toolstation Western Pre-mier Division.

“It was probably a fair result overall but it could have gone either way,” said Senior. “We went 1-0 up after 12 minutes of the second half and held the lead until two minutes from the end.

“The referee let a lot go during the game. While some referees blow up for little niggly things he kept it flowing.

“But the free-kick that they scored from was no different to any of the others that had gone before in the game. And they scored with a deflected shot, which Sam Filkins got a hand to but crept inside the post.

“We went straight up the other end and Jamie Symes slipped in Dan Wise and he could have scored but his shot went just past the post.

“Right on full-time Dean Ritchie put Jamie in, he took a touch and hit a great shot which struck the woodwork and spun over Dean’s head as he ran in.

“It’s another point and I was pleased with our performance but to the lads it feels like two dropped and they’re disappointed because they know they could have got all three.”

Chances were at a premium in the first half and the visitors almost went ahead when a shot came off man of the match Chris Clarke, looped over Sam Filkins and hit the bar.

It was a similar story after the break though, both sides showed ambition in attack while defending well at the same time.

Bridport broke the deadlock when Matt Condliffe went down the left, pulled the ball back to Ben Clarke, he found Jamie Filkins and the Bees player hammered home.

The hosts could have put the game to bed on 75 minutes when Chris Luke beat two defenders out wide, fed Wise on the edge of the area and the midfielder hit a half-volley that forced the Odd Down keeper into a full-stretch save.

And that save proved crucial as the visitors equalised in the 88th minute to rescue a point.

“We’ve played them twice in the last month and could have got three points both times,” added Senior.”

Bees: S Filkins, J Filkins, Condliffe, Stordy, C Clarke, Hayter, Luke, Wise, Dovell, Symes, B Clarke (Ritchie 83). Subs not used: Evans, Hailu, Richardson, Lock