PORTLAND UNITED 2 BRIDPORT RESERVES 0

BRIDPORT Reserves have satisfied boss Robin Townsend with the start they have made to the Bespoke Teamwear Dorset Premier League season.

A 2-0 victory at Merley Cobham Sports last Saturday was followed with a defeat by the same scoreline away to reigning champions Portland United on Tuesday night.

Despite the loss at Grove Corner, Townsend was happy with the way his side acquitted themselves ahead of this Saturday’s home clash against Hamworthy Recreation at St Mary’s Field (3pm).

“All in all, I’m quite pleased with how we played at Portland and I thought we competed well against a very good side,” he said.

“We started okay and had three good chances in the first half and I felt we should have been ahead at half-time.

“But we gave away a needless free-kick five minutes before the interval and found ourselves 1-0 down.

“The second half wasn’t so good from us and we just seemed to run out of ideas.

“We still competed but didn’t test their keeper and should have created more chances.

“I thought there was a handball in the build-up to their second goal but the referee said it was ball to hand.”

The Bees had opened their season with a comfortable win at Merley thanks to goals from Ben Clarke and Robin Jones, the second coming straight from a corner.

Bees: B Fleet, Staines, A Clarke, Day (King 40), Stordy (Cummings 70), Gale, Steele, Fry, Jones (Scovell 80), B Clarke, S Charles