Match Report
Bridport extended their unbeaten League start to the season as they defeated both Middlezoy Rovers and the weather at St. Mary's Field, writes Jon Smith.
Although the driving rain stopped just before kick off, the 40mph Southerly wind blowing from end to end of St. Mary's Field threatened to dominate the contest.
With the wind at their backs The Bees' Sol Ayunga opened the scoring with a shot from six yards in the eighth minute. Connor Cussans and Harry Hamblin had the visitors best chances in the following minutes with the former forcing Bridport goalie Jordon Scadding into producing a smart save while the latter unleashed a shot from the edge of the penalty box which flew over the bar. In the 23rd minute Ayunga teed up Tony Pinder whose shot was smothered at point blank range by Rovers keeper Tom Edwards, which was followed two minutes later by an attempt by Kamil Rozalski which was blocked for a corner.
Bridport doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when a wind assisted cross from the right wing by Sam Fisher flew into the net as a bemused Tom Edwards in the visitors goal stood and watched. Harley Brook had Bridport's best chance in the ensuing minutes when he avoided two defenders on the right wing before sending a shot over the bar. However, he made amends in the final minute of the half when his glancing header from a throw in found its' way into the visitors net for 3-0.
The elements came into play at the start of the second half as the rain augmented the continual high winds. With the wind at their backs, Middlezoy's attacks became more frequent and after Finn Hansford poked a great chance wide of the goal in the 51st minute, Rozalski shot wide when presented with an open goal two minutes later, although bizarrely Dan Lismore was subsequently booked for dissent! Rozalski wasn't the only one struggling though, as Ayunga and Fred Parsons for the Bees, both missed presentable chances.
With 69 minutes elapsed, Fisher scored from the edge of the box for Bridport to make it 4-0, only for Middlezoy to claw a goal back when a deflected cross rebounded off of Darren Lock for an Own Goal two minutes later. Substitute Jack Milford shot over the home bar with another wind assisted effort in the 83rd minute, but perhaps fittingly, the game ended in a bizarre fashion. In the last sixty seconds Milford had to leave the game injured, which as Rovers had already used all of their substitutes, left them with ten men. Then, in the second minute of added time, the visitors were awarded a penalty, believed to be for handball, which substitute Liam Winter converted!
The post game League Table revealed that Bridport are top having won four and drawn two.
FINAL SCORE :- Bridport 4 Middlezoy Rovers 2
Att.197
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