Match Report
A bumper Boxing Day crowd were treated to a six goal thriller, with visitors Ilminster , especially the goal keeper, providing stern opposition by means both fair and foul writes Jon Smith.
The Blues had the first attempt on goal in the early stages with Jordan Lovibond unleashing a wild shot which completely missed the target in the fifth minute. Five minutes later team mate Braeden Symes forced home keeper Jordon Scadding into the first save of the game despite Bridport having much of the possession thus far.
Unable to capitalise, frustrated Ilminster were testing the boundaries of legal behaviour that was going to be allowed in the game , but youthful looking referee Ryan Collier was having none of it when Bridport's Sol Ayunga was wrestled to the ground in midfield, issuing the first of what would be six yellow cards! Taylor Jefferson brought some normality to proceedings when he shot over the bar from 20 yards for the visitors after twenty three minutes, but, to coin a phrase, the Blues actions were beginning to get a bit tasty!
Bees skipper Luke King opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when he volleyed home from 10 yards in a crowded box. Ilminster's festering frustration boiled over shortly after when Riley Weedon was flattened on the half way line, which saw the first "yellow" of the day. This triggered an embarrassing trio of further bookings in the next five minutes but Bridport responded in the best way possible when Alec Thomas sent a shot past Ilminster keeper Shay Allen from 20 yards seven minutes from half time. The hard working goalie parried a shot from Weedon two minutes later with a despairing outstretched hand, spinning 180 degrees to bat the ball away from the goal to save Bridport's lead increasing. With the crowd preparing to make the most of the half time break, out of nothing Lovibond raced away between the two penalty areas before firing a shot past Scadding for 2-1 !
The second half began with Leon Wood forcing Blues keeper Allen to parry his shot on to the bar of the goal in the 48th. A minute later when a shot from Ayunga was parried, Will Gape netted the rebound for 3-1. At the other end Lovibond was booked for diving before Gape and Ayunga both had good chances saved. The visitors Drew Stride forced Jordon Scadding to fumble a shot but when the ball ran back to him and he shot, the keeper preserved the score at 3-1.
With 14 minutes to go, Sol Ayunga netted from 10 yards for 4-1, but there were still two moments of magic for the home fans to enjoy. Nine minutes from time Harley Brooks out of nothing deceived the opposition keeper when his shot from 12 yards out, but 10 yards to the side of the goal, bamboozled the dejected Allen to make it five. This just left skipper Luke King to attempt possibly the only bicycle kick shot of his career which, sadly, went wide, leaving The Bees at the top of the League at the end of 2025.
FINAL SCORE :- Bridport 5 Ilminster Town 1
Attendance :- 460
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