Match Report

Jersey Bulls made history as they became the first offshore club to compete in the F.A. Youth Cup, now in its 71^st season. Drawn at home to Burgess Hill Town, whose men’s team play in the Isthmian League South-East Division, they added to the profusion of Sussex clubs that the Bulls have already met in their short life.

Both sides received byes through the Extra Preliminary Round. This Preliminary Round match was switched to Burgess Hill, eleven miles north of Brighton, and played on the first day of the meteorological autumn.

Autumn it certainly was with a dramatic end to the record-breaking summer weather. A thunderstorm hit the area just before the match kicked off bringing with it a deluge of much needed rain, for non-footballers that is, whilst thunder rumbled on in the distance for the first fifteen minutes of the game.

Jersey kicked-off attacking the clubhouse end with Seb Figueira at the heart of most early Jersey probing. He was in the opposition box as early as the second minute only to be well tackled by a defender. Sammy Henia-Kamau also made progress only to be fouled and Damon Huckerby went forward to put in a cross but nobody was there to finish it off.

Figueira broke clear only to be halted by Olga Svaikevic’s flag but a few minutes later won Bulls’ first corner after quarter of an hour’s play. Skipper Miguel Carvalho won another but neither came to anything. Huckerby was just off target with a long-range effort before Carvalho made a strong run into the box, though his shot was cleared.

Midway through the half, Taylor-Jack “T.J.” Woodley saw yellow when what seemed to be a good tackle was adjudged otherwise by referee Ryan Calver and Carvalho joined him a minute later with a poorly timed effort on the slippery surface.

Just before the half hour Carvalho was beaten to a long ball down the middle by ‘keeper Ethan McGrath, one of five U16s in the Burgess Hill Town side. A couple of minutes later the Jersey captain needed treatment after making another midfield tackle but opted to carry on, only to need further treatment a couple of minutes later. McGrath twice more defied Jersey, firstly conceding a corner and a minute later saving a twenty-yard deflected shot from Leandro Vieira.

Carvalho then had to concede that he was not going to run off his injury and was replaced by Ed Jeffries with Vieira taking over the armband.

This setback was overcome dramatically five minutes later when Huckerby cut out a clearance and fed Figueira on the right. Figueira produced a good low cross which McGrath at the near post could only palm across the face of the goal. Henia-Kamau, running in at the far post, shot into the roof of the net to give Jersey an interval lead. Early in the second half Vieira had two opportunities to double Jersey’s lead, first in a one on one with McGrath and then being beaten by him to a loose ball.

Just after the hour the rain became heavier and the distant rumble of thunder returned as McGrath again saved the South Coasters when Figueira was through for another one on one that had the young assistant referee Oscar Cotton on the far line at full stretch. A chip from the edge of the box would have beaten the advancing ‘keeper who did well to get down to the low attempt and deflect it for a corner.

Burgess Hill Town then had a penalty appeal waved away before the loose ball ran to Harry Lawson whose twenty-yard cross shot just cleared Harry Gladdish’s bar. Aaron Ancell also floated in a cross which was headed back across the face of the goal where substitute Damien Theodore, under pressure from Gladdish, headed narrowly over.

The failure of Jersey to add to their earlier goal looked to prove costly when a forty-yard Burgess Hill free kick reached the exotically named Baptiste D’Abadie De Lurbe, unmarked at the back post, to head home the equaliser with just under twenty minutes remaining.

Huckerby received a knock and after lengthy treatment was replaced by Ollie Walker. Shortly afterwards Ben Shirley came on for Figueira. Five minutes later Burgess Hill’s Taylor-Jack, theirs being Edwards, received a straight red. Mis-controlling an interception he dived in on Vieira in an attempt to retrieve the situation but missed the ball and took out the player.

This left Jersey with just over five minutes plus added time, of which it turned out there was almost another seven, to look for a winner against their ten remaining opponents before the lottery of spot-kicks would have to be undertaken.

Seaney McColgan was next in the referee’s notebook for bringing down Lawson and just before the ninety-minute mark Vieira got forward and looked to have been fouled in the box but the referee waved away the penalty appeals.

Despite the player disadvantage Burgess Hill still threatened and gained their only corner of the match early in added time which was initially cleared but the returned ball needed a timely tackle to prevent a shot coming from close in.

The ball was thrown out to the half way line where newly introduced substitute Charlie Clayton was harassed into an under hit back pass by Shirley. Henia-Kamau chased it down then beat McGrath in a tackle twenty-five yards out, but the ball broke to the left edge of the box. Keeping his composure Henia-Kamau cut back inside a covering defender, rounded the retreating McGrath before rolling the ball home from eight yards. Cue delirious celebrations with even the injured Carvalho joining in on one leg!

There was still time for Burgess Hill defender Elliot Bresciani and Henia-Kamau to clash and earn themselves cautions as the well fought game came to a close and the sodden players dragged themselves off for a well-earned hot bath.

The following day Jersey learnt their draw for the next round which is another trip to Sussex, this time Horsham.

Jersey Bulls 2 (Sammy Henia-Kamau (2) 42 & 90+4); Burgess Hill Town 1 (Baptiste D’Abadie De Lurbe 71) (played at Burgess Hill Town)

Attendance 79

Programme – 4pp A5

Jersey Bulls U18 – Harry Gladdish, Damon Huckerby, Fergus Boyle, Joel McKinlay, Taylor-Jack “T.J.” Woodley, Charlie Brennan, Seb Figueira, Leandro Vieira (vc), Sammy Henia-Kamau, Seaney McColgan, Miguel Carvalho (c).
Substitutes – 12. Ben Shirley (for Figueira 78), 14. Ed Jeffries (for Carvalho 37), 15. Ollie Walker (for Huckerby 77) (only three substitutes, seven are permitted)

Red/White/Red; GK Yellow

Paul Renton (Manager), Gary Freeman (Assistant), Richard Hebert (GK Coach)

Burgess Hill Town U18 – Ethan McGrath, Aaron Ancell, Oliver Francis (c), Zach Lawrence, Elliott Bresciani, Taylor-Jack Edwards, Joseph Overy, Baptiste D’Abadie De Lurbe, Austin Potter, Harry Lawson, George Rawlingson
Substitutes – 12. Damien Theodore (for Francis 55), 14. Charlie Clayton (for Potter 88), 15. Theo Margon (for Overy 55), Hugo Dalley (not used), Dylan Hurst (not used) (only five substitutes)

Wide Green & Black stripes (Black Sleeves, Green Back)/Black/Black: GK Grey

Paul Fowler and Gary Mansell (Joint Managers), Adie Clayton (Coach), Alfie Mansell (GK Coach)

Formations
Jersey Bulls (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-5-6-3; 8-4-10-11; 7-9
Burgess Hill Town (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-6; 7-11-8-3; 9-10

Referee – Ryan Calver (Crawley)

Assistant Referees – Olga Sviakevic (Crawley) on the dug out side, and Oscar Cotton (Crawley) on the far side

Cautions – Woodley (JB) 26, Carvalho (JB) 27, McColgan (JB) 87, Bresciani (BHT) 90+6, Henia-Kamau (JB) 90+6

Dismissal – Edwards (BHT) 84

Corners – Jersey Bulls (3) 4; Burgess Hill Town (0) 1

Player of the Match – Sammy Henia-Kamau (JB)

Club Information

Club Colours

Home Ground

Team Management:

Background

Executive Summary

Advantages of Jersey Bulls

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