BRIDPORT 1

NEWTON ABBOT SPURS 1

BRIDPORT extended to five games their unbeaten run with a 1-1 draw against Newton Abbot Spurs at St Mary’s Field.

Chris Herbst’s men remain in 16th place in the South West Peninsula League Premier East, pulling to within five points of 12th-placed Torridgeside in what is an increasingly congested bottom half.

Spurs ran out 6-0 victors against Bridport in the reverse fixture and the visitors went close to opening the scoring in the third minute when Finn Pearse headed over.

However, Bridport would open the scoring via the same method in the tenth minute when, from a Riley Weedon corner, Tom Richardson rose highest to nod home his fifth goal in as many games.

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With both sides struggling for fluency, the Bees suffered a lapse in concentration just before half-time when Ryan Gall diverted a cross past Jordon Scadding for an unfortunate own goal.

In what was an open match, neither side could find the required quality to force a winner but Spurs did come close in the dying embers when Scadding denied James Moxon and Harry Ford.

Speaking post-match, Herbst said: “It was end-to-end and in the last few minutes we had a few long throws.

“Both sets of players were happy with a draw. They were happy because they’d been in a game but me being me I wanted to win.

“If you’d offered me a draw at the start of the game I’d have snapped your hand off.

“It was a scrappy game, with chances, but a good one to be involved in.”

Commenting on Richardson’s form, Herbst said: “He’s been brilliant, it’s the fact he wanted to come back to Bridport and he’s loving it.

“We’ve got such a good group here, it’s quality. We’re certainly building something.

“Like I said to the lads, we need to keep this going. We’ve got Plymouth Marjon now and it’s no good thinking we can win it.

“We’ve got to go with the same mentality, we need to battle.”

Bees: Jo Scadding, Stanners, Child, Baker, Gall, King, Daniels, Gape, Ayunga (Jones 80), Richardson, Weedon (Parsons 87). Sub not used: Howe.

Attendance: 160