Three Bridges 1 Tooting & Mitcham Utd 4: Depleted Bridges let slip early lead

They had one player on holiday, another three ruled out through injury, one more late arriving at the ground, another suspended and even one called up for Chelsea’s Academy side - hardly the best preparation.

Manager Paul Faili who were forced to call upon their Under-21 squad in a barely recognisable team.

But it started brightly for Bridges when they took a ninth minute lead. With Tooting defenders standing off him, Lee Carney took advantage of the space offered to him and unleashed from 35 yards, Gareth Williams being totally beaten in the Tooting goal as the ball crashed down off the underside of the bar.

The lead lasted just two minutes though as the ball was swiftly played from left to right for Troy Williams to place his shot wide of Rob Woodward, one of three Bridges players having his first start of the season in the absence of holidaying Martin Grant.

Bridges’ woes continued with Charlie Leach coming off with a shoulder injury, and after 37 minutes Tooting went in front when a corner was flicked on and Aaron Dalhouse netted with a point-blank header.

Faili made two further substitutions at half-time, but despite the admirable efforts of notably Abu Touray up front, Bridges were often chasing a lost cause and it was no surprise when Tooting added a third after 63 minutes when Sol Pinnock laid the ball off beautifully for skipper Francis Quarm to apply a crisp finish.

Adrian Todd wriggled through but shot just over and Williams Peauroux forced Gareth Williams to an acrobatic tip over, but a poor challenge on Carney after 67 minutes led not only to a caution for Quarm but wound up the Bridges skipper sufficiently for him to also get booked three minutes later.

He then limped around before finally having to come off with 15 minutes to go. So, although it meant that Bridges had to play out the remainder of the game with only ten men, it was damage limitation for Carney, who still hopes to be fit for Saturday’s trip to Redhill.

Frankie Sawyer almost added a fourth but Woodward denied him with a good low save, but after 82 minutes PINNOCK almost lethargically drilled a low shot home from the edge of the box to complete Bridges’ misery. A brave effort by an inexperienced team, but it just wasn’t enough.

Bridges: Woodward, Faber, Leach (Polson 32), Maxwell, Forsdick, Halton (Djimah 46), Peauroux, Carney, Touray, Bataladis (Todd 46), Elliott.

Unused subs: French-Thompson, Ajidi

Attendance: 93

Aerotron Man of the Match: Williams Peauroux