BRIDPORT Reserves experienced a heavily mixed first two results in the new Dorset Premier League season.
Adam Herring’s men first stunned Bournemouth Sports 2-0 with an excellent performance but then staggeringly lost 9-1 at home to Balti Sports on Tuesday night.
Against Bournemouth, Josh Baker’s header and an Adam Steele strike gave the Bees all three points, although they needed a strong defensive performance to keep their opponents out.
Heavy late pressure saw Karol Borowski hit the crossbar but Bridport’s clean sheet went unscathed.
READ MORE: Bridport Reserves 'stronger' than last season
However, a nightmare result followed as Balti ran riot at St Mary’s Field.
Balti took the lead through Jake Mansley’s own goal and never looked back as former Bridport striker Derek Wall netted a hat-trick, Matty Chambers and Stef Stavrianos bagged braces and Danny Andrews also scored.
Callum Arnold hit Bridport’s consolation but the hosts ended with ten men as goalkeeper Mark Cuff saw red for dissent.
Reflecting first on the Balti game, Herring said: “We’re all scratching our heads because Saturday was so positive.
“We went into the game and there was a decent buzz around the changing room, really confident. It just went horribly wrong. It was one of those nights.
“We started the game fairly well but conceded an own goal. We went in 4-0 down and I said to the lads I don’t want what happened last year where we get drubbed.
“We came out second half, scored, and then it was an array of individual errors. It sucked everything out of us. We were deflated and they smelt blood.
“Derek Wall was a handful, he literally bullied our defence. He was unstoppable and we couldn’t handle him.”
Assessing the Bournemouth Sports win, Herring said: “They played some good football but we pressed them at the right time, got the ball and created chances.
“Their manager at the end of the game shook my hand and said we really deserved to win.
“Defensively we were really strong and that’s why (Tuesday) night was such a shock.”
Bees v Balti: Cuff, Elliott (Adler), Childs, Mansley, Ja Scadding (Bult), Wyrill (Mann), Handyside, Baker, A Steele (Day), Arnold, Coombs (Kapurs).
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