JERSEY BULLS – 3 (Campbell 3′, Dos Santos 44′, Sunley 46′)
EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN – 0
Attendance: 1412
HT Score: 2-0
Player of the Match: Luke Campbell
THE JERSEY Bulls have only further cemented their place in the play-off mix, as they controlled the game from start to finish to come out 3-0 on top over East Grinstead Town.
There was certainly no hesitation from the home side to establish their commanding grasp of the game early on, as defensive stalwart Luke Campbell got himself in prime position from Jay Giles’ cross to head it in after just three minutes of play. Although the East Grinstead defender managed to make contact and boot the ball away, it was simply too late as it had already crossed the line, making it 1-0.
Such an early goal helped set the tempo for the rest of the game, as the Bulls never loosened their hold on the fixture.
Rai Dos Santos continued his immense home form to constantly threaten the away defence with daring runs down the left wing, as exhibited in the 19th minute, where the Bulls winger weaved his way through to get off the shot – but the angle was simply too tight as it was saved by East Grinstead’s Harry Howes.
However, the deflection looked to fall right into the path of Bickley, fresh off his man-of-the-match brace on Saturday – but the ball fell just behind him, out of reach.
Dos Santos charged back down the wing in the 34th minute, this time delivering a pinpoint cross to Bickley, but the number nine’s shot went off the crossbar and out.
Just before the break, it looked as if the opening goal would be repeated as Giles’ corner headed Campbell’s way, but the ball then found itself at the feet of none other than Dos Santos at the edge of the box. From 25 yards out, the star winger refused to squander his chance and hammered it into the top right, doubling the Bulls’ lead with a highlight-reel finish.
As play got back underway following the interval, the boys in red picked up right where they left off to score within the opening 15 seconds. Bickley slotted it through to Harry Curtis who then squared it across to James Sunley, tapping it home to make it 3-0.
Following that early strike, the intensity of play did noticeably drop off a bit, as both benches were fully utilised. The match was well out of East Grinstead’s reach, as Jersey managed to command the rest of the game and comfortably ride out the 3-0 victory.
Full reaction to follow in tomorrow’s JEP
Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis, Jay Giles (c), Luke Watson, Luke Campbell, Toby Ritzema, Fraser Barlow, Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos, James Sunley. Substitutes – 11. Miguel Carvalho (for Barlow 72), 12. Adam Trotter (for Kilshaw 77), 15. Jamie Watling (for Bickley 72 – Ritzema moved up front), 19. Stan Dunne (for Watson 57), 22. Will Yates (for Dos Santos 57)
East Grinstead Town – Harry Howes, Leo Vowles, Reegan Jeffery, Curtis Gayler, Max Marshall, Declan Spittles, Mason Saunders, Luke Leppard, Dan Perry (C), Jhon Murillo-Castillo, Omar Folkes. Substitutes – 11. Lewis McDonnell, (for Murillo-Castillo 81), 12. Finley Wigmore (for Vowles 85), 16. Joshua Cryer (for Spittles 77), only three substitutes.
