Poole Borough Football Club

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Scott Smith
Collected his 100th Borough goal

Borough Scorers : James Edwards 1, Scott Smith 34
Borough Man of The Match : James Edwards

Borough won this mid-table battle more comfortably than the scoreline suggests. They took a first minute lead when a corner was punched away by Cuff in the Bridport goal, but Alan Fooks crossed the ball back in and James Edwards volleyed into the top corner.

Edwards had a shot cleared off the line just after and then a jinking run and cross by Arnold forced Cuff to make two point blank saves from Smith and Alan Fooks.

Borough suffered a blow when Herrington, who had linked well on the left, was forced to go off injured after 18 minutes and was replaced by Wilson. However, it made no difference to the run of play and on 21 minutes a cross from Bircumshaw found Alan Fooks unmarked in front of goal, but his header went wide.

Bridport first tested the Borough goal after 25 minutes but Nash held the resulting shot. Borough finally got their second goal when a long ball from Gary Fooks beat the off side trap and Smith ran round the keeper and slotted the ball into the net to score his 100th career goal for Borough.

A late flurry from Borough saw Cuff pull off some fine saves and then Bridport nearly snatched a goal on half-time when a shot from Donovan clipped the bar.

HT 2-0

The second half was a more even affair. Bridport raised their game although the better chances still fell to the home side. Bircumshaw chased a ball into the area and collided with Cuff, but after awarding a penalty the referee consulted his linesman and gave a free kick on the 18yard line, which was scrambled away.

Bircumshaw then had the ball in the net after 51 minutes but was adjudged offside. Smith volleyed just wide on 65 minutes from a corner and the same player also hit the bar with a first-time shot as he met a low cross from Alan Fooks.

Bridport's best chances came in the final ten minutes. Lock headed over from a free kick and Hitchcock, who was Bridport's best forward on the day, had another free-kick tipped over the bar by Nash.

Borough's win lifts them one place up the table to seventh place.

Borough : Adam Nash, Shaun Clarke, Tony White, Dan Herrington (Jamie Wilson 18), Paul Getley (Alex Gunn 80), Scott Arnold, Matt Bircumshaw, James Edwards, Scott Smith, Alan Fooks, Gary Fooks. Unused sub. James Morrell

Manager's Quotes..........

Borough manager Pete Morrell described the result as " the best 90 minutes we have played all season." Morrell said "We had about 45 chances and if we had got seven or eight then I do not think that they could have had any complaints. Their keeper had an outstanding game. We passed it around well and it was the first time this season that we have done that for the full 90 minutes."

Losing boss Kevin Donovan said "We were poor and we have no excuses. The players we had out should have been able to put on a better performance. Poole did not have to play well to win the game and I thought 2-0 flattered us a bit."