Aldershot Town FC U23s
4 - 1
Mike Bidmead Suburban League Challenge Cup
Jersey Bulls U23s
Tuesday May 3, 2022, 7:45 pm
Arbour Park, Slough
Mike Bidmead Suburban League Challenge Cup
The Bulls travelled to Arbour Park, the five year old home of Slough Town, for the final of the Mike Bidmead memorial trophy. Opposing them were the Aldershot Town youngsters, titled U23 but in fact all of them were U19, and unbeaten since September.
Other than Jay and Rai Dos Santos Jersey had everyone available and included James Carr, Robert Martins-Figueira and Toby Ritzema who each played in all six rounds of the competition.
Before the start of the match Jake Prince received the Bulls U23 player of the season award from the U.K. Supporters Group.
On a cool evening, once the sun had set, Jersey kicked off attacking the Catholic School end and it was their sports hall that loomed over the terracing on the far side of the ground. Jersey played in their black and white halved kit, so in that sense they ended the season as they had started it, as the kit had made its debut at Beckenham Town in the first match of the season. Those of a superstitious nature should look away now.
Aldershot played at a high tempo from the start, epitomised by their captain, Keane Anderson, who chased down and blocked the very first pass after the start. He produced a dominant performance and could claim three assists.
The first came after Lewis Horn-Haynes went down rather easily when challenged by Ritzema. Anderson swung in the free-kick from twenty-five yards to Joe Rabbetts on the right of the six yard box who knocked it back into the middle where Harrison Playle put it away.
Tom Sutcliffe blazed over the bar from an Anderson cut back from the left byline as Anderson led a dominant midfield that kept Jersey under the cosh. Aldershot doubled their lead when an under hit Martins-Figueira back pass on the left was seized upon by Alex MacAllister. He was still twenty yards out but waltzed past Sammy Sutcliffe, side stepped ‘keeper Robbie Scott, and rolled the ball home.
Horn-Haynes had a shot blocked by Harry Curtis before Sol Solomon and Darryl Mvalo both had half chances at the other end. Before the half hour Aldershot scored again after a hand on the shoulder from Ritzema was enough to see MacAllister tumble to the floor as they chased a long ball forward from Anderson. Ben Angell stuck the resultant penalty in to the bottom let corner, sending Scott the wrong way.
Jersey had a penalty of their own before half-time when Mvalo played in Prince who went past a defender and then the ‘keeper, Toby Fisher, before Florjet Vucaj diving in to a tackle him from the goal line was hit on the right arm as Prince shot.
Referee Simon Castleman awarded the penalty but was persuaded to consult with his senior assistant, Dave Osborn, who confirmed the decision. Solomon stepped up to score his seventh goal in the competition, and his third penalty, with a low shot to the bottom left corner which Fisher managed to get his fingertips to.
Prince put a shot just over the bar in added time as Jersey came back into the match either side of half-time.
After the interval Jones having broken up a Jersey attack at one end skied his shot at the other after a long surging run before substitute Lucias Vine restored Aldershot’s three goal lead. Picking up the ball on the right edge of the box he moved along the eighteen yard line before doubling back and hitting a shot that bisected two defenders and found the bottom left corner.
Lumsden cleared off the line when substitute Ben Mandeville lobbed Scott, before Anderson hit the bar five minutes later. In the last minute Lumsden blocked the shot of another substitute, Jameel Murshid, as Aldershot continued their domination of the match.
Jersey’s players and management received their medals before Anderson stepped up to collect the trophy for the Shots who signed him professionally ten days later.
Aldershot Town U19 4 (Harrison Playle 9, Alex MacAllister 17, Ben Angell pen 27, Lucias Vine 67), Jersey Bulls U23s 1 (Sol Solomon pen 41)
Attendance – 130
Programme – £1 (20pp)
Aldershot Town – Toby Fisher, Dan Jones, Joe Rabbetts, Ben Angell, Harrison Playle, Florjet Vucaj, Alex MacAllister, Tom Sutcliffe, Ben De Lacy-Turner, Keane Anderson (c), Lewis Horn-Haynes
Substitutes – Max Mullins (for Sutcliffe 46), Ben Mandeville (for MacAllister 72), Lucias Vine (for Horn-Haynes 53), Jameel Murshid (for De Lacy-Turner 79), James Gorman (not used), Flynn Bolton (for Jones 53), Harvey Keogh (sub GK) (not used)
Rusty Red (Blue trim)/Royal Blue/Rusty Red (Blue tops); GK All Purple
Ross McNeilly (Manager), James Edmonds (Assistant), Michael Gibson (Physio.)
Jersey Bulls – Robbie Scott, Toby Ritzema, Josh Coutanche, Joe Kilshaw (c), Sammy Sutcliffe, Harry Curtis, Jake Prince, Robert Martins-Figueira, Darryl Mvalo, Sol Solomon, James Carr
Substitutes – Jack Lumsden (for Coutanche 15), Josh Daniels (for Curtis 77), Kushal Frankson (for Ritzema 77), Patrick O’Toole (for Mvalo 77), John “J.J.” Lloyd (for Prince 85), only five substitutes
Black & White halves/Black/White; GK All Yellow
Paul Renton (Manager), Gary Freeman (Assistant & Physio.), Jay Giles (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach)
Match Officials – Simon Castleman (Towcester), David Osborn (Farnham), Martin Olver (Maidenhead) and Kevin Belcher (Horsham)
Cautions – none (although other referees might easily have issued a few)
Corners – Aldershot Town (2) 4; Jersey Bulls (4) 7
Player of the Match Award (on line voting) – Jake Prince 18, Darryl Mvalo 17, Jack Lumsden 11, Robert Martins-Figueira 8
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