Jersey Bulls stay unbeaten after 4-2 Hendon victory

Lorne Bickley has scored 10 goals in his last eight appearances for Jersey Bulls [BBC] Jersey Bulls' unbeaten run in the Isthmian League extended into its 10th month after they won 4-2 at Hendon. The victory consolidated the islanders' place in the top two of Isthmian League South Central as they remained unbeaten for a 31st consecutive regular season match - a run going back to the end of December. Having had their travel plans affected by the stormy weather, which led to the kick-off being put back by half-an-hour, Bulls made no delay with the scoring as the impressive Toby Ritzema was at the heart of the action as they went 2-0 up inside the first six minutes. First he burst down the left wing and saw his low cross met by a precise left-footed Casey Nixon shot as the island side went 1-0 up after just over three-and-a-half minutes. Two minutes later Ritzema's lofted ball with the outside of his right foot put top-scorer Lorne Bickley through, and after a couple of touches he fired in a low-shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner. Hendon pulled a goal back when Jamie Watling's weak header back to his goalkeeper was pounced upon by Florian Ada who teed up John Shamalo to fire home in the 14th minute. Ritzema was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury after 18 minutes as the hosts had a couple of chances to level before the break. Shamalo forced a save from Euan van der Vliet early in the second half while Bulls came close after an hour when James Sunley had a shot cleared off the line. But a minute later Bickley blasted in his second of the afternoon after holding off a defender having received a pass from Sunley. However Hendon pulled a goal back within three minutes when Ezekiel Williams pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area. Nixon, Sammy Henia-Kamau and Sunley had decent efforts to increase Bulls' lead while Ada had an 82nd-minute effort saved for Hendon. But the islanders finally got the breakthrough when Henia-Kamau managed to sneak in as a high ball was caught up in the wind and finish well to make it 4-2 with four minutes to go.
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