JERSEY BULLS – 2 (Dos Santos 46′, Trotter 76′)
EASTBOURNE TOWN – 0
Attendance: 1005
Player of the Match: Rai Dos Santos
THE Jersey Bulls starred at Springfield Stadium to gain the three points against Eastbourne Town, winning 2-0 to stay well in the play-off race.
After neither side could get the upper hand, Rai Dos Santos provided a spark in the 21st minute with a shot on the turn just 15 yards out, but it was tipped over the bar in what was a fantastic effort by Eastbourne Town’s Chris Winterton.
Eastbourne showed they were a threat with a couple back-to-back corners, but each saw headers fly over the bar.
Just eight minutes after his first attempt, Dos Santos found his way in prime position once again, as he showed some wizardry to dribble his way inbetween two defenders – but Eastbourne Town’s keeper once again pulled off a great save.
Spectators had to wait until the 41st minute for another opportunity when some neat passing play found the feet of Jay Giles, who then proceeded to whip in a low-driven cross to Lorne Bickley. Unfortunately, it drifted wide.
A quality diving Euan Van Der Vliet save closed out the half, with it being all square heading into the break.
Just like lightning, Rai Dos Santos scored within a minute of play restarting, breaking through to slot it in the bottom right corner to make it 1-0.
Falling behind wasn’t the worst of it for Eastbourne Town, with a second yellow for JJ Walker depleting the side to ten men – only complicating their pursuit.
Bickley just missed a chance to double the lead in the 53rd minute, as yet another remarkable dribble by Dos Santos allowed him to square it, but it dragged wide.
Matters only worsened for the visitors, when Eliot Jenks was shown a straight red card, only further depleting the team.
The Bulls certainly took advantage, when Miguel Carvalho presented himself as a huge threat just 12 yards out – but he hit the crossbar.
In the 76th minute, substitute Adam Trotter didn’t hesitate to make an impact on the game, scoring just four minutes after he came on. A superb pass from Toby Ritzema through the left channel found the super-sub, allowing him to tap it past the keeper.
Although the Bulls were well ahead late in the game, there were no signs of complacency as Queree played through a perfect ball, curling it round to find Trotter on the diagonal run – but he just couldn’t find the net.
That stunning pass closed out Queree’s outing, as he made way for the returning Harry Curtis to make his first appearance at home for just over a year.
With a commanding grasp on the game, the Jersey Bulls managed to ride out the 2-0 win comfortably, placing them just one place outside the play-off positions in sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Faversham Town.
Full reaction to follow in Monday’s JEP.
Jersey Bulls: Euan Van Der Vliet, Jay Giles, James Queree (C), Luke Campbell, Jamie Watling, Luke Watson, Toby Ritzema, Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho, Lorne Bickley. Substitutes: Adam Trotter (for Kilshaw, 72′), Fraser Barlow (for Carvalho, 67′), James Carr (for Giles, 80′), Francis Lekimamati, Harry Curtis (for Queree, 87′).
Eastbourne Town: Chris Winterton (C), Sam Parker, Jack Murphy, Harvey Greig, JJ Walker, Nathan Hover, Oliver Davies, Eliot Jenks, Sonny Walsh, James Waters, Leon Greig. Substitutes: Anesu Sisimayi (for Parker, 46′), Guilermo Cachimuel, Edward Ratcliffe (for Waters, 59′), Marcin Ruda (for Walsh, 80′), Adam Davidson
