Bridges Unbeaten Run Continues In Style

Three Bridges continued their unbeaten run in the league to seven games as they won for the second time this season against newly promoted Phoenix Sports to keep them top of the Isthmian South East Division. Bridges started the season as odds on favourites to finish bottom of the league but some of the football they are playing this season is a delight to watch and the team confidence that they are showing in their play is beginning to turn some heads.

Bridges started brightly with a couple of dangerous threats but it took a goalkeeper fumble on 28 minutes to get Bridges off the mark with Noel Leighton tapping home from four yards out. Phoenix had an opportunity to level shortly after when everyone expected the offside flag to go up but they failed to capitalise. Bridges then went straight up the other end and Kevin Rivera finished off a cushioned header down from Noel Leighton following a glorious cross from the dangerous Ibby Jalloh to extend Bridges lead to 2-0. Bridges then had a third goal disallowed for offside and this appeared to spur Phoenix Sports into action. Phoenix got a goal back almost immediately through a long range Alfie Evans effort on 34 minutes and a header from Matt Bourne in the third minute of added time in the first half brought things level at 2-2 going into the half time break.

The half time team talk from Bridges manager, Jamie Crellin, provided the necessary adjustment and inspiration for Bridges to reaffirm their hold on the game and just six minutes into the second half Bridges took the lead with a header from Kevin Rivera who rose highest from a Brannon O’Neill corner. Bridges then went on the rampage with Noel Leighton capitalising on another goalkeeper error to make it 4-2 in the 52^nd minute. Ibby Jalloh scored his first and Bridges fifth goal on 66 minutes beating five Phoenix players before despatching with a delightful finish into the top corner. Noel Leighton completed his hat-trick on 70 minutes when Jalloh crossed from the right hand side for Leighton to control on his chest and volley into the far corner for Bridges sixth of the game. Bridges had a couple more half chances to extend their lead further but the game was won with four Bridges goals in 19 second half minutes to register their third away win of the season which is more than Bridges managed in all of the previous season.

			Home				Away				Total
			P	W	D	L	P	W	D	L	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
	1	Three Bridges	4	2	2	0	3	3	0	0	7	5	2	0	23	13	+10	17
	2	Chichester City	2	2	0	0	3	2	1	0	5	4	1	0	13	0	+13	13
	3	Sittingbourne	3	1	1	1	3	2	1	0	6	3	2	1	16	7	+9	11
	4	Herne Bay	3	1	1	1	3	2	1	0	6	3	2	1	12	8	+4	11
	5	Sevenoaks Town	3	2	1	0	2	1	0	1	5	3	1	1	13	8	+5	10
	6	Cray Valley PM	1	0	1	0	2	2	0	0	3	2	1	0	12	6	+6	7
	7	Burgess Hill Town	2	1	0	1	2	1	1	0	4	2	1	1	8	5	+3	7
	8	Hythe Town	2	1	1	0	3	1	0	2	5	2	1	2	8	8	0	7
	9	Ashford United	2	1	0	1	3	1	1	1	5	2	1	2	8	14	-6	7
	10	Ramsgate	1	1	0	0	2	1	0	1	3	2	0	1	8	5	+3	6
	11	East Grinstead Town	3	1	0	2	3	1	0	2	6	2	0	4	12	13	-1	6
	12	Broadbridge Heath	3	0	2	1	3	1	1	1	6	1	3	2	11	12	-1	6
	13	Lancing	4	2	0	2	1	0	0	1	5	2	0	3	5	8	-3	6
	14	Erith & Belvedere	3	1	0	2	2	1	0	1	5	2	0	3	3	9	-6	6
	15	Sheppey United	1	1	0	0	2	0	2	0	3	1	2	0	8	4	+4	5
	16	Littlehampton Town	2	1	1	0	2	0	0	2	4	1	1	2	5	9	-4	4
	17	Merstham	3	1	0	2	3	0	1	2	6	1	1	4	8	15	-7	4
	18	Phoenix Sports	3	0	1	2	4	1	0	3	7	1	1	5	11	26	-15	4
	19	Beckenham Town	3	0	0	3	3	1	0	2	6	1	0	5	7	14	-7	3
	20	Horndean	3	0	0	3	2	0	2	0	5	0	2	3	6	13	-7	2