Bridges unable to snatch point after a dire start

SCL Division One

Arundel 3

Three Bridges 2

THREE Bridges paid the price for a dour first half display as they crashed to defeat at Arundel.

Despite constantly hammering at the home defence for most of the second half, Bridges couldn't quite manage to turn their fortunes around after a fairly wretched first half showing.

Even following the dismissal of skipper Dean Carden for swearing at Arundel's manager midway through the second half, Bridges looked the more likely to score, but they had to settle for a 78th minute penalty and Arundel's defence somehow prevented what had earlier looked to be an unlikely equaliser.

The opening to the game was certainly eventful with a 2-1 scoreline in favour of the home side inside 11 minutes.

Arundel took a fifth minute lead when a poor clearance by Ashley Dugdale fell to the home captain Josh Biggs to drill straight past a helpless Mark Fox.

George Hillier almost produced an instant response when he drove in from the left and saw his shot blocked by keeper Ben O'Connor. But the equaliser duly arrived in the ninth minute when Hillier played the ball down the right to Dean Wright, whose cross to Joel O'Hara saw a half clearance which Wright was quickest to react to.

Arundel looked threatening every time they attacked, and two minutes later a low cross from David Hall on the left was met by an unmarked Russell Hardwell at the near post for the simplest of finishes.

Bridges had a good penalty shout when Dugdale's cross looked to have been handled in the box by a defender, but Arundel continued to exploit huge gaps and in the 39th minute Howard Neighbour strode past both Alex Keaney and Any Howard to coolly finish and put the home side seemingly well in command.

Bridges almost made it 3-2 before the break as a free kick from Lee Carney went inches wide and O'Connor brilliantly blocked a header by the ever willing Hillier.

At the other end, Arundel wasted a great chance.

Fox made an excellent early second half save to hang onto a solid header by David Walker, but Joel O'Hara was beginning to become more and more influential, making light work of the steadily worsening pitch conditions with plenty of strong running.

A good run by Hillier ended with a shot that was just wide, and Carney also started to help to wrestle the midfield from Arundel. Carden's dismissal could so easily have been a setback, but within a minute of entering the fray, Jack McNab was hauled down in the box and Carney slammed in the spot kick with just 12 minutes remaining.

Chances for an equaliser came and went, the best probably coming from Dugdale's cross which ended with Howard shooting just over the bar. Bridges possibly deserved a point by the finish, but their poor first half display probably cost them overall.

Bridges: Fox, Dugdale, Keaney, Ahearne, Howard, S O'Hara (Grant), J O'Hara, Carney, Hillier (McNab), Wright (Romain), Carden.