WHILE Jersey Bulls’ head coach was pleased with how his side dug in to pick up a much-needed three points at Guildford City, he acknowledged his men will “have to be sharper” as the fixture list shows no signs of easing up.
Gary Freeman’s team host high-flying Knaphill this coming weekend, before a trip back to the mainland to face Surrey outfit Horley Town.
“Look, we knew it wasn’t going to be easy coming here, for lots of reasons. It’s well-documented about the pitch, but also Guildford have put together a good young side and they grew into the game,” Freeman said.
“We looked great in the opening 20 minutes or so and we felt we’d get that early goal, which we did, and we’d kick on from there.
“We didn’t though and credit to Guildford, because they got at us and started to find their feet.
“What was important for us, first and foremost, was to get a win given the defeat last week and so we achieved that primary objective.
“Remember, any win in this league is very hard one. But we know that we have to be sharper in certain areas and when you’re playing teams like Knaphill, who we have next, we’re going to need to tighten up.”
As he has so often been the case, the irrepressible Lorne Bickley was front and centre for Bulls, on the pitch and on the scoresheet, bagging yet another hat-trick.
Freeman was keen to stress just how important Bickley is to this Bulls team, citing the criticism levelled at this star centre-forward as “unfounded”.
He added: “There are lots of people around the game at our level who stick the lazy tag on Lorne, and that makes me laugh.
“You only have to look at his goalscoring record to see what he’s all about. We don’t ask Lorne to be all-action, every minute. That’s not his game and doesn’t play to his strengths or ours.
“You saw against Guildford what he is outstanding at, and that’s being a No.9.
“He comes alive when there’s even a half opportunity in that penalty area.
“A tap in for the first, a brilliant header for the second and then a calm finish for his hat-trick. We’re delighted he’s ours.”
Next up for the Islanders is a home engagement against a team Freeman acknowledges as being somewhat of a bogey opponent for the Islanders in Knaphill.
“Ah, Knaphill. We know all about them,” continued Freeman. “We are due one against them, for sure.”
