DESPITE being reduced to ten men just before the interval, Bridport strolled to an easy 5-1 victory over a poor Minehead side at the Recreation Ground on Saturday afternoon.

After only ten minutes the visitors took the lead when, following a defensive error, Simon Austin forced keeper Ryan Lobb to make a brave save but Terry Emmett followed up to score.

Although having less of the play, Minehead equalised in the 21st minute with a brilliant individual goal when, after a terrific run on the left wing in which he beat three defenders, Sean Kenny scored from an extremely acute angle.

With play flowing from end to end, Minehead were now in with a chance and their prospects seemed to be greatly improved when, after 41 minutes, Bridport's Gary McAuley was sent off for something he appeared to have said.

However, almost immediately Austin restored the visitors' lead with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area following a well-flighted free-kick.

After the interval the ten-man Bridport team slowly but surely took complete control of the game and, after a sustained period of pressure, increased their lead when Richard Drake scored with a magnificent header from a free-kick by Tristan Cox.

Despite replacing Nick Whyborn with substitute Matt Druce, son of former Minehead favourite Peter Druce, Minehead continued to struggle and it was no surprise when Bridport went further ahead in the 64th minute when Andy Hitchcock rose at the far post to head home a cross from the dangerous Austin.

By this time Minehead were in complete disarray and despite some fine work in defence by veteran Adrian Giblett the score became 5-1 in the 85th minute when substitute Richard Middleton outpaced a static defence to round keeper Lobb and slide the ball into an empty net.

Minehead: R Lobb, T Hills, W Giblett, R Hopkins, A Giblett, J Norman, S Perkins, D Sowden, S Kenny, C Carr, N Whyborn, subs P Long, M Druce, A Hodgson (all used).

l With the Bishop Sutton match scheduled for May 5 now likely to be played at Bishop Sutton's ground due to a large youth tournament on The Recreation Ground, tomorrow's match against Devizes Town is set to be the final home match of the season. Kick-off is at 3pm.