Jack Roberts scores hat-trick as Bishop’s Stortford beat Spalding United 3-1 in Southern League Premier Central
Jack Roberts scored a hat-trick to steer Bishop’s Stortford to a 3-1 victory at Spalding United in Pitching In Southern League, Premier Central on Saturday (November 16).
The striker made it four goals in his last two appearances as the Blues registered back-to-back wins following last Tuesday night’s 2-1 away success over Harborough Town.
They have moved up to 13th in the table and are five points clear of the relegation zone and six adrift of the play-off places.
Steve Castle’s side are due to host St Albans City in the second round of the Herts Senior Cup tomorrow (Tuesday November 19) before entertaining 14th-placed Barwell in the league on Saturday (November 23).
Roberts had the first shot of the game and saw it curl wide before the Tulips’ Bartosz Cybulski and Dion Sembie-Ferris were both denied by Blues goalkeeper Elliot Krasniqi.
Rashawn Scott had a shot deflected behind after dribbling from the halfway line and, from the resulting corner, Stortford captain Jake Thompson’s header was saved by Tony Breeden.
Krasniqi, who is with the Blues on work experience from parent club Tottenham Hotspur, produced a fine point-blank save to deny Lewis Hilliard.
The shot-stopper was also alert to keep out Hilliard’s shot from the right of the box before saving Connor Tomlinson’s curling effort.
The visitors broke the deadlock eight minutes before the break when Roberts, who had hit the woodwork moments earlier, ghosted in at the back post to poke the ball home after Olu Oluwatimilehin had kept a corner alive.
And the forward doubled his tally in first-half added time by beating three players before cutting in off the right wing and bending a shot into the top left-hand corner.
James Collins twice went close to extending Stortford’s lead further after the restart with a low shot and a looping header both being saved by Breeden.
The 16th-placed Tulips halved the deficit in the 72nd minute as Sembie-Ferris got the better of Krasniqi from 18 yards.
However, Roberts eased any Stortford nerves five minutes later by going past two defenders with ease and the goalkeeper to roll the ball into an empty net and complete his treble.
There was still time for a chance at each end as Brad Russell’s curling effort was saved by Breeden while the Tulips saw a goalbound header from a corner blocked by Blues skipper Thompson.
Spalding United: Breeden, Freeman, Fox, Moore (booked 45), Walker (Cartwright 63), Lawlor, Sembie-Ferris, Hilliard (booked 73), Cybulski, Leshabela (Ngandu 76), Tomlinson (Nyahwema 63). Not used: Chettle, Sherif.
Blues: Krasniqi, Dasilva, Warner-Eley, Oluwatimilehin (booked 59, Amu 64), Thompson, Haines, Collins (Castle 69), Russell, Roberts (booked 60, Moutawafiq 85), Virciglio (Akinbulumo 77), Scott (Evans 69).
Attendance: 486.
