BRIDPORT 4 HALLEN 3

BRIDPORT battled back from two goals down against Hallen to end a run of five games without a win in all competitions on Saturday.

The Bees bravely fought, striking four times in a seven-goal thriller at St Mary’s Field to record their sixth league win of the campaign from 13 outings.

Kevin Camargo scrambled home a corner for the visitors after just eight minutes and, after Warren Byerley missed a glorious opportunity, Hallen found themselves 2-0 ahead through Tom Collett, as he smashed the ball home from the edge of the area.

The Armadillos almost made it three when they struck the crossbar from a free-kick soon after.

Alan Hill had already gone close for the Bees in the first half when his stinging effort flew past the right-hand post but with just a few minutes of the opening period remaining, the Bees opened their account for the afternoon.

Byerley hit a strike which was well saved and after ricocheting off both uprights, Jamie Beasley was on hand to make it 2-1.

Buoyed by their opening goal, the Bees kept plugging away and introduced Matt Condliffe from the bench with just more than 20 minutes to go. A decision that was to prove pivotal.

Condliffe got in behind the Hallen backline to whip a cross in for striker Mark Salter, who finished calmly for his first goal for the club to level things up.

Beasley continued to cause problems, hitting a post and letting fly with a number of powerful efforts.

He played a big part in his side’s third with a crunching strike that flew in off a defender, which was given as an own goal to put Trevor Senior’s troops ahead for the first time in the game.

But the former Weymouth and Dorchester Town man was not done there and got his second to wrap things up for the hosts. He powered the ball into the net to make it 4-2 and seal his own personal brace.

The Bees did concede late on when Isaac Reid registered for the away side meaning the game finished 4-3, but Senior, who was also celebrating his birthday over the weekend, was thankful for the present of three priceless points.

He told Echosport: “I said to the lads before the game that we hadn’t been playing badly, we just had to make sure that we took our chances and in the second half we did.

“We showed a lot of character to come back from 2-0 down.”

Bees: Hadley, Hill, C Clarke, S Buckler, C Senior (Evans 35), Hayter, Richardson, M Buckler, Salter, Byerley (Condliffe 68), Beasley (Diaz 85). Sub not used: Peach

Attendance: 70

Man of the match: Max Buckler