Attendance: 970
HT Score: 1-0
Player of the Match: Rai Dos Santos
HAT-TRICK hero Rai Dos Santos led the Jersey Bulls to a huge 3-0 win over Hassocks United, further boosting their play-off aspirations.
From the off, it was the Bulls who stamped their authority on the game, creating several chances within the first 10 minutes to keep the visitors on their toes.
Chief of these had to be Dos Santos’ ambitious shot from outside the box, as he powered it just over the bar – much to Hassocks’ relief – in the ninth minute.
Just eight minutes after that chance, Dos Santos was rewarded for his persistence, as he gathered a pinpoint pass from Miguel Carvalho. One-on-one with the keeper, Dos Santos’ pace was simply too much as he sprinted past, tapping it into an open goal to make it 1-0.
Although they got into the lead early on, Hassocks United showed they weren’t to be under-estimated, as their own Liam Benson just skied it from right in front of the goal to give the hosts a scare, after Jamie Wilkes’ excellent grounded cross from the wing.
Number 9 Lorne Bickley showed his class playmaking ability to keep the chains moving today, as he held the ball well and tapped it forwards for Dos Santos to run on and make another attempt in the 25th minute. However, this time, Hassocks’ James Shaw gathered it well to deny the Caesarean of a brace.
Although he put in the work to keep the chains moving, Bickley had opportunities of his own to get on the scoresheet, with two in the space of three minutes. After skying the first opportunity in the 26th minute, Bickley rose above the rest to get on the end of Carvalho’s nifty cross from the right wing, just heading it over three minutes later.
After those chances, a deadlock in the middle of the park ensued, seeing them go into the tunnel 1-0 up at the break.
Although many opportunities were missed in the opening 45 minutes, the second half got off to a bang as Dos Santos made an electrifying run down the field. He was absolutely unstoppable, as he cut in at the box and curled it into the top right, making it 2-0 just 45 seconds after play restarted.
The Bulls were certainly in their element, as midfielder James Sunley followed that up with a chance of his own in the 50th minute, deflecting off a defender to just go wide for a corner.
Sunley kept up his efforts in front of goal, showing some technical wizardry to twist and turn his way through the box and shoot for goal, deflecting once again to hit the post in the 64th minute. It wasn’t over just yet, as Ritzema dived in an attempt to head in the deflection, but it once again went out for a corner.
The Bulls never let up their control of the game, as the remaining minutes saw several chances go begging, until Dos Santos broke free once again in the first minute of stoppage time.
Barlow’s pass set up Dos Santos perfectly, allowing him to be one-on-one with the keeper yet again. The keeper never had a chance as he powered it past, sealing his hat-trick and the 3-0 victory for the Bulls.
For a full reaction, make sure to check out Monday’s JEP
Jersey Bulls: Euan Van Der Vliet, James Queree (C), Jamie Watling, Jay Giles, Luke Campbell, Toby Ritzema, Luke Watson, James Sunley, Miguel Carvalho, Rai Dos Santos, Lorne Bickley. Substitutes: Francis Lekimamati (for Carvalho, 81′), Joe Kilshaw (on for Ritzema, 81′), Fraser Barlow (on for Bickley, 86′), James Carr (on for Watson, 86′), Pierce Roche.
Hassocks United: James Shaw, Harvey Blake (C), Jack Troak, Josh Mundy, Dan Turner, Ben Shroll, Matt Daniel, Jamie Wilkes, Liam Benson, Harry Furnell, Lewis Finney. Substitutes: Joe Bull (on for Wilkes, 55′), Harry Furnell (on for Daniel, 69′), Shay Leahy (on for Mundy, 69′), Harvey Enticknap (on for Turner, 86′), Alex Fair.
