Shop

Jersey Bulls

2 - 1

Combined Counties League Premier Division South

Redhill

Saturday April 16, 2022, 3:00 pm

Springfield Stadium

Combined Counties League Premier Division South

Match Report

On a day more suited to the new cricket season at 20C Jersey met Redhill in their return fixture. The match in Surrey in late August finished goalless. Since when Redhill have steadfastly remained on the fringes of the promotion chasing group, almost always in sixth place.

They rarely lose to lower sides but have only picked up two draws in eight matches against the other top six sides. In late January they lost their management team of Wayne Harrison, Tom Cope and James Deacons to Isthmian League Division 1 South-Central team, South Park.

The football club was relegated from the Isthmian League Division 1 South to the Combined Counties Premier Division in 2015. Another relegation immediately followed but they bounced straight back and this is their fifth consecutive season in the Premier Division with the last three seeing “lower middle” placings.

This season, like Jersey, they reached the third qualifying round of the F.A. Cup, before going out to Yate Town of the Southern League Premier Division South. Yate then met Yeovil Town in the first ever meeting of two “Y” teams in the 150 years of the F.A. Cup. In the F.A. Vase they won through two rounds before losing to Combined Counties Premier Division South rivals Raynes Park Vale.

Jersey made one change to their team with Robert Martins-Figueira coming in for his full debut in place of the unavailable Jake Prince. Darryl Mvalo, scorer of the midweek winner for the U23s, Harry Curtis and Kevan Nelson were added to the list of substitutes.

Kicking off attacking the Town end Jersey made a sensational start with the debutant scoring after only 42 seconds. Kamen Nafkha read a Redhill pass and nipped in to intercept it on the halfway line before feeding Martins-Figueira on the left. He cut in and slipped the ball under Jack Minchin in the Redhill goal.

After nine minutes Redhill’s Lucas Atkins played a cleverly flighted ball forward to Derick Hayford but his shot lacked “sting” and was easily saved by Euan Van der Vliet. On the half hour Francis Lekimamati took a free kick on the left corner of the box but although clearing the wall he did not manage to dip it under the bar.

Four minutes later Redhill equalised. Joe Jarrett put Jamarie Brissett free on the right and he played a clever little flick between Jack Cannon and Ben Le Rougetel for Hayford to run on to. Hayford, anticipating the pass, just beat Sammy Sutcliffe to it to give Van der Vliet little chance from eight yards out.

Adam Trotter attempted to retore the lead with a surging run from the halfway line, but his final shot lacked power which Minchin managed to parry with Blake Mitchell tidying up the rebound before Martins-Figueira could reach it.

After the interval Trotter looked to challenge Dquame Copeland in midfield and the visiting centre-back only managed to stumble over the ball. Trotter seized upon it and with Martins-Figueira drawing the covering defenders with a run to the left channel, Trotter was able to pick out an unmarked Lorne Bickley eight yards out by the far post to put Jersey ahead again.

Redhill pushed forward looking to equalise again and their speedy front men, Brissett, Hayford and Aaron Watson all looked capable of causing problems. They were repelled largely due to the youthful, centre back pairing of Sammy Sutcliffe and Le Rougetel, who stood up to the examination well. Sutcliffe who had put a Cannon corner over the bar with his head in the first half also got on to the end of another Lekimamati free kick a dozen minutes from the end, only to stab it wide at full stretch.

Jersey saw out the remainder of the match for a win that ensures that they will finish third, fourth or fifth, depending upon how they, Raynes Park Vale and Badshot Lea fare in their last two games of the season on Monday and Saturday.

Jersey Bulls 2 (Robert Martins-Figueira 42 secs, Lorne Bickley 52), Redhill 1 (Derick Hayford 34)

Attendance – 573

Programme – £2, 24pp (joint issue with Horley Town next Monday)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, James Queree (c), Jack Cannon, Ben Le Rougetel, Sammy Sutcliffe, Kamen Nafkha, Francis Lekimamati, Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley, Jonny Le Quesne, Robert Martins-Figueira
Substitutes – Darryl Mvalo (for Bickley 83), Joe Kilshaw (for Nafkha 26), Kieran Lester (for Lekimamati 78), Harry Curtis (for Cannon 72), Kevan Nelson (not used)

Red/White/White; GK All Green (no. 21)

Gary Freeman (Manager), Kevan Nelson (Assistant), Dan Seviour (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach), Paul Renton (Coach), Jim Robertson (Physio.)

Redhill – Jack Minchin, Blake Mitchell, Jaden Edwards, Joe Jarrett, Dquame Copeland, Joe Dyett (c), Jamarie Brissett, Yannick Monga, Derick Hayford, Lucas Atkins, Aaron Watson
Substitutes – Nat Kenlock (not used), Jason Kaate (for Hayford 59), Will Lowe (for Monga 75), only three substitutes

All Yellow (Royal Blue trim to shorts); GK Light Blue (Black trim)/Light Blue/Black

Paul Barnes (Manager), Daniel Gill (Assistant), James Lewis (Coach), Lydia Passera-Hughes (Physio.)

Referee – Ka-Ho Wong (Finchley) After seventeen years officiating in the Hong Kong Professional League he relocated to the U.K. last summer to take up an appointment as an I.T. teacher at the prestigious Wycombe Abbey Girls School in Buckinghamshire. He registered with the Combined Counties League in January since when most of his appointments have been in the Premier Division North.

Assistants – Steve Anderson (Arborfield, Reading). On the dug-out side, qualified when in Bridgend, Wales. Moved to Aylesbury in 2003 and has been officiating in the Hellenic League until re-allocated this season. Paul Savva (Stanwell, Ashford, Middlesex). On the grandstand side, of Cypriot lineage, qualified in 1999. Officiated initially in the Middlesex County and Suburban Leagues before joining the Spartan South Midland League for the past three seasons, until, like Anderson, re-allocated to the Combined Counties League this season.

Cautions – None for either side

Corners – Jersey Bulls (2) 2, Redhill (0) 3
Player of the Match Award (commentator) – Adam Trotter

0Item

Web Design & Development by iPOP