Three Bridges hit six against Sheppey, but it could have been an even bigger win

But for Sheppey keeper Aiden Prall, this could have been an even bigger win for Bridges, who led from the first minute when a back pass, seen by referee Ciaran Fidler after an assistant flagged for offside, presented NOEL LEIGHTON with the opportunity to run clear and net.

Prall then made great saves from Kevin Rivera and, after Ibrahim Jalloh had seen his shot blocked, a brilliant tip over from Camron Lawson’s follow up. But it all went sour for Sheppey after 21 minutes when Rivera was brought down in the box by Olamilekan Majoyegbe, the referee showing him a second yellow card and then a red to leave a team, mentally shattered by their recent F.A.Cup exploits, down to ten men with nearly seventy minutes still to play.

Prall, however, wasn’t giving in easily, and he made an excellent stop to deny Brannon O’Neill’s spot kick, only to be beaten four minutes later when Jalloh hit the post and NOEL LEIGHTON stabbed the loose ball home, albeit almost in slow motion!

But there was no doubting the quality of NOEL LEIGHTON’s third goal five minutes after the restart as he received a pass from Lawson and then netted from a tight angle. Prall denied Lawson soon after, but in the 57th minute the ever dangerous IBRAHIM JALLOH cut in from the left and drilled an unstoppable shot for the fourth goal.

Harvey Woollard had a shot smothered by Prall and Leighton hit the post, but after 78 minute KEVIN RIVERA broke down the left and finished in style past a now helpless Prall. And there was time for a sixth three minutes from the end of normal time as Bryan Villavicencio played a delightful through ball to KEVIN RIVERA to complete a brilliant night for the hosts.

Lots of outstanding performances and a first home clean sheet for Bridges, thanks largely to an immense performance at the back by Billy Irving and the rest of the defence.

Bridges Man of the Match – Noel Leighton.

Bridges : J.Sheik, D.Ferreira, R.Euba (G.Ashley, 76), B.Irving, T.Difika (C.Donaghey, 79), H.Woollard, I.Jalloh (B.Villavicencio, 79), B.O’Neill, N.Leighton , K.Rivera, C.Lawson. Unused Subs. – Y.Ainine, E.Hanslow. Booked – O’Neill (51).