BRIDGWATER Town player-manager Dave Pearse described the ugly scenes which marred the end of his side's 5-3 win at Roman Glass St George on Saturday as "absolute chaos."

Pearse was sent off himself, along with three members of the home coaching staff and both team's goalkeepers, in the aftermath of the incident as players and coaches scrapped following Town's decisive fifth goal in the closing stages of Saturday's encounter.

Pearse, who is to appeal his sending off, said: "Passions were running high on the touchline throughout and every goal was well celebrated.

"I'm not sure what was said after our fifth goal but their coaches approached our dugout and there was absolute chaos.

"It must have been about a 20-man brawl and I have sympathy for the referee.

"That said, I don't know why [Town goalkeeper] Jake Viney was given a second yellow card - he was confronted by a member of their coaching staff.

"I am also not sure why I was sent off. Hand on heart, all I was doing was trying to break things up and protect my players."

Pearse was keen not to let the game's unsavoury ending overshadow a fine comeback by his side, who came back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 and then responded well again having been pegged back late on, scoring twice in the final three minutes to seal victory.

"They did a job on us in the first half but we came out after the break a completely different team," Pearse said.

"I have to give credit to our lads, who showed great character and hunger to come back. We know we have always got goals in us and we are not the sort of team to put our heads down - we will always keep going until the end.

"Harry Horton had another brilliant game and his goal [a 25-yard volley to make it 4-3] was an absolute worldie. I challenge our players to make sure they are an eight or nine out of 10 in eight out of 10 games, and that was Harry's sixth in a row where he has reached that level.

"He's got seven goals and 14 assists for us this season - he is really coming into his own, and long may it continue."

On Saturday, Town travel to south Devon to face Buckland Athletic, who sit 11th after a mixed start to the season.

Pearse said: "They have a relatively new manager [Richard Pears] and we know it will be tough, but I'm confident we have what it takes to go down there and get the right result."

Town are to bring in a goalkeeper on loan from a Southern League club to cover Viney's suspension, but Lee Begg is likely to miss out after coming off in the first half of Saturday's win with a hamstring injury.