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Combined Counties League Premier Division South

Jersey Bulls

Tuesday October 5, 2021, 7:30 pm

Westfield Lane

Combined Counties League Premier Division South

Match Report

Two days after being narrowly eliminated from the F.A. Cup it was a return to the “nitty gritty” of the league and a crucial match away at table topping Badshot Lea.

The F.A. Cup draw on Monday had revealed that a win on Sunday would have taken Jersey to Southend United, who were until last season a Football League club.

Badshot Lea played on their village Recreation Ground until 2007 when reaching the Hellenic League Premier Division and their facilities were not deemed of a high enough level. They then began a dozen nomadic years sharing at Farnborough, Godalming Town, Ash United and finally Camberley Town. Eventually they managed to acquire the former Farnham R.F.U. ground at Westfield Lane, Wrecclesham. This is to the south-west of Farnham, although Badshot Lea is to the north-east of the town. The ground was developed to meet the ground grading requirements and opened with a friendly against nearby Aldershot Town in August 2019.

Badshot Lea had transferred to the Combined Counties League in 2008 where their best finish is 6th in 2011. They were relegated to Division 1 in 2017 but bounced straight back with a third-place position. Their best run in the F.A. Cup was the same as Jersey’s this year, the third qualifying round, in 2012-13. In the F.A. Vase they reached the third round “proper” in 2009-10.

They had dropped their first league points of the season on Saturday, when they had conceded a last-minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw at Cobham. In the F.A. Cup they beat East Preston in a replay before losing at home to Corinthian of the Isthmian League Division One South-East. In the Vase they had scored ten at Western League Devizes Town and then squeezed home on “penalties” at Godalming Town, now of the Southern Combination Division 1. In the league they had five clean sheets and they were certainly not “bad shots” as their early wins included 6-1, 7-0 and 7-3 as well as the double figure win in the Vase.

The pitch was in good condition after the recent heavy rain but it was a blustery evening with the temperature decidedly autumnal. Jersey brought in Joe Kilshaw, Keiran Lester and Luca Margaroli who had all been on the bench on Sunday. They swapped roles with Jack Griffin and Ruben Mendes-Pestana who joined Jake Prince and Calvin Weir as substitutes. Kamen Nafkha was also missing from the Sunday starters with an injury whilst Fraser Barlow was still on holiday.

Jersey kicked off attacking the clubhouse end and forced a corner after just 40 seconds. This was scrambled away but another chance soon fell to Lorne Bickley only for Kallum Lunn in the Badshot goal to produce a good block. Badshot retaliated and although Euan Van der Vliet was initially unsighted he got down to save.

The game became a hard-fought midfield battle, that was not particularly entertaining, for Badshot’s best crowd of the season. This was epitomised by a “tangle” between Nick Medcraft  and Jonny Le Quesne that earned them both a rebuke from the referee, Nic Hucker, just after the half hour. As the half came to its conclusion Bickley shot over and Solomon forced a good save from Lunn. Badshot’s Macaulay Ford also came to the “attention” of Hucker before Lunn missed another Jersey corner but the loose ball was hooked over.

At the break Mendes-Pestana was brought on for Margaroli. By now referee Hucker had had enough of “chats” and within a quarter of an hour of the restart issued cautions to both Medcraft and Le Quesne.

On the hour Giles nearly caught out Lunn with a quickly taken free kick. Lunn just managed to get a hand to the ball and grab it properly to before it crossed the line. The Badshot ‘keeper then produced another good save before a Giles corner was headed home by Luke Campbell to break the deadlock. The provider, though, soon picked up a knock and was replaced by Weir and five minutes later Prince replaced Lester up front as the Bulls looked for a second goal to secure the match.

In between these substitutions Badshot Lea were reduced to ten men. Medcraft went down in the box looking for a penalty but the referee deemed it “simulation” and having already collected another caution Medcraft had to “walk”.

Medcraft’s fellow defenders then lost possession on the edge of the box with twelve minutes left. Mendes-Pestana seized the opportunity and from twenty-five yards chipped the ball in to the top left corner with Lunn stranded. Late on Prince, having been set up by Bickley, fired over and then in added time he brought another save out of Lunn as Jersey ran out comfortable winners against the ten men

The win, like that at Horley, improved Jersey’s position, now 13th, by three places. Another win on Saturday, in their first home league game, against Sheerwater might see them make the top half, still with numerous games in hand.

 

Badshot Lea 0; Jersey Bulls 2 (Luke Campbell 64, Ruben Mendes-Pestana 78)

 

Attendance – 252

 

Programme – £2, 36pp colour

 

Badshot Lea – Kallum Lunn, James Smith, Nick Medcraft, George Hedley, Billy Upton (c), Raphael Aklobessi, Ken Fitzgerald, Macaulay Ford, Dean Rule, Tane Caubo, Andrew Matthews

Substitutes – Josh Stepney (for Ford 82), Louis Lindsay (not used), Owen Dean (for Rule 85), Danilo Cadete (for Smith 58), Malachi Thomas (for Caubo 74)

 

Claret (Light Blue)/Claret/Claret; GK All Green

 

Gavin Smith and David Ford (Joint Managers), Dan Bailey (Assistant), Paul Harkness (Coach), Ryan Weeks (GK Coach), Megan Tubridy (Physio.)

 

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Joe Kilshaw, Kieran Lester, Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley, Luca Margaroli, Sol Solomon

Substitutes – Jack Griffin (not used), Ruben Mendes-Pestana (for Margaroli 46), Jake Prince (for Lester 72), Calvin Weir (for Giles injured 66), only four substitutes

 

Blue/Blue/White; GK All Yellow.

 

Gary Freeman (Manager), Kevan Nelson (Assistant), Dan Seviour (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach)

 

Referee – Nic Hucker (Woking)

 

Assistants – Gavin Collins (Aldershot) & Dan Skilton (Guildford)

 

Cautions – Medcraft (BL) 54, Le Quesne (JB) 57, Medcraft again 70 (simulation)

Dismissed – Medcraft (BL) 70 (second caution)

Corners – Badshot Lea (2) 3, Jersey Bulls (6) 8

Player of the Match Award (commentator) – Kieran Lester (JB)

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