8:32am Monday 17th November 2008
By Alan Kidson
PORTISHEAD TOWN 2 BRIDPORT 2
A JEKYLL and Hyde performance by Bridport allowed Portishead back into a sometimes ill-tempered game in which the referee brandished 10 yellow and two red cards.
Bees’ boss Ian Hutchinson gave a debut to new signing Chris Clarke while Lee Cuff returned to the line up after a long period out injured, replacing the suspended Lee Cleal.
In cold and blustery conditions the game took some time to settle down. This was not helped by the unfortunate injury to the Possets’ Simon Kelly who had to be replaced in the 10th minute.
Bridport were the first to get shots at goal when, from a long throw by newcomer Clarke, Matt Condliffe had a shot blocked and a second effort from Russell Legg was well wide.
The Bees started to take control but had to be ever alert to the quick long ball out of defence deployed by the home team.
Some excellent movement from the visitors caught Portishead leaden-footed in the sticky conditions and a Ryan Hayter cross was knocked just wide by Legg.
After 27 minutes of Bridport pressure a Condliffe corner was cleared but only to Dan Wise whose powerful shot took a slight deflection to beat the home keeper Ian Ganfield.
The Bees continued to cause the home defence problems from well executed corners and free-kicks.
Portishead were dangerous on the occasional breakaway and James Clarke tested Cuff with a fierce drive that was pushed around a post for a fruitless corner.
After 40 minutes Condliffe seized on a short corner from Wise to send in a centre from which Ashley Clarke glanced a header over the keeper to put Bridport two goals to the good.
Two minutes into added time a trademark free-kick from Wise grazed the bar with Ganfield beaten.
Shortly after, skipper Darren Lock had a headed goal disallowed for pushing.
The hosts came out for the second half a much more determined side and it was only a brilliant saving tackle by Chris Senior that prevented Mark Mapston from getting in on goal.
Within three minutes Legg had to be on hand to head clear a Portishead free-kick.
Shortly after this a rush of blood saw Cuff race from his line to upend Mapstone. Fortunately this was outside the area but he received a yellow card for his sins.
Bridport were quick to break and when Jamie Morgan beat the home offside trap, Ganfield had to stretch hard to tip the striker’s lobbed shot over the bar.
Just on the hour Portishead finally breached the Bees’ defence from a corner.
The ball was only partially cleared and Keiran Marsden crashed home a shot that Cuff could do nothing about.
Bridport were still trying to get forward and Garsden did well to keep out a Senior header in one of the Bees’ infrequent attacks. At the other end a wonderful saving tackle by Chris Clarke prevented James Clarke from equalising.
The game was becoming scrappy now with referee Alan Jenkins showing yellow cards galore despite the poor conditions.
In the 70th minute Bridport gave away a needless free-kick which Cuff failed to hold and Portishead skipper Cleeve Holder scrambled the ball over the line to equalise.
The game was becoming dire in the muddy conditions and both sides were guilty of rash tackles which resulted in some heated exchanges.
This led to even more yellow cards and the sending off of two Portishead players during the 11 minutes of added time.
After the game, manager Hutchinson was quick to praise the resilience of his team.
He said: “Although we are all disappointed, and in the dressing room it felt as though we had lost, we should remember that we held our own with a team that is in the top three of the league.
“Had we been asked prior to the game we would probably have taken a draw but given the showing in the first half we felt we might have done better.”
Bridport: Cuff; Condliffe (Ward 84), C Clarke, Lock, Senior, Hayter, Legg, Wise, Evans, A Clarke, Morgan.
Attendance: 65 Bridport Man of the Match: Ryan Hayter
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