Jersey met Ascot competitively for the first time. However, they had met in a pre-season friendly at Springfield in July 2022. Jersey had also played at Ascot’s ground, on the edge of the racecourse, when they hosted Balham there in March 2022 whilst Springfield was being upgraded.

Ascot had played two “abandoned” seasons in the Combined Counties Premier Division when Jersey were in Division 1. Jersey then gained promotion but were in the new South section whilst Ascot were in the Northern one. Ascot won that in 2023 and were runners-up in the F.A. Vase at Wembley the same season.

This is their fourth Isthmian season, having finished 13th, 4th (lost in the play-offs) and 16th so far. This season they are 18th with a 2-1-5 13-20 record. Nevertheless, they have won their last two matches. Last Saturday they defeated Littlehampton Town 3-1 and on Tuesday, with a much changed side, they beat South Park (Reigate) 3-2 in the Isthmian League Cup. 

Jersey made five changes to the squad that drew 3-3 at Egham on Tuesday. Euan Van der Vliet, Jamie Watling, Joe Kilshaw and Fraser Barlow were all available again and Jonny Le Quesne returned from suspension. He took over the captaincy from James Queree who was away, with Sam Devy, James Carr, Darryl Mvalo and Luke Lister dropping out. Jamie Watling and Casey Nixon replaced Harry Curtis and Sammy Henia-Kamau in the starting line up.

Ascot who have already used 37 players this season made five changes to the squad that had defeated Littlehampton seven days ago. Joshua Bassey, Lui Edwards and Harley Platel displaced Joe Dandy, Williem Tomlinson and Quaye Vine in the starting eleven with Ismail Amiri and Chukwuka Uzor coming in as substitutes in place of Sam Sesay and Hani Berchiche. Additionally, Fope Deru as a starter swapped roles with Baback Dehghani, now a substitute.

As at Egham on Tuesday there were six goals with four of them in the first quarter.
Lorne Bickley started the ball rolling when he seized on a lobbed forward pass to the left from James Sunley who made the first of his three assists. Bickley shook off the attentions of Rudi Pache, cut inside and found the bottom corner with his low cross shot.

Ascot hit back almost immediately with their first away goal in the league this season and it was one worth the wait. Fope Deru played a one-two with defender Cameron Rohart-Brown and turned quickly in the left channel twenty-five yards out. Finding himself in space he advanced and curled his shot around Van der Vliet and into the bottom right corner. 

Equality was short lived and it was the Sunley-Bickley combination that again proved the key. Sunley received a pass centrally and found Bickley charging forward on his right. It seemed a first time shot was required as Bassey looked to close the striker down, but one short touch and a bullet shot gave Kie Plumley little chance.

The lead was extended when Jay Giles swung in a cross from the right. Jack Lumsden headed it onwards and it looked as though a defender’s head immediately behind him helped loop the ball into the top left corner. 

Nixon nearly added a fourth when he almost replicated Bickley’s opening goal, but his cross shot grazed the wrong side of the upright. 

The fourth duly arrived soon after the interval. Ritzema, who had swapped flanks with Nixon, charged down the left, cut in and shot across Plumley.

Ascot reduced the lead with another well taken goal. Ricco Bullard-Jeffrey continued a good midfield move with a cross from the right which substitute Chukwuka Uzor reacted quicker to than the Jersey defence as he hooked in a half volley at the near post.

Jersey remained in control and both Jarma Mohamed and Sammy Henia-Kamau had shots blocked by Plumley’s legs in the closing moments. 

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne (c), Jay Giles (wore 14), Jack Lumsden (wore 17), Jamie Watling, Toby Ritzema, Luke Watson (wore 16), Jarma Mohamed (wore 20), Lorne Bickley, James Sunley, Casey Nixon  

Substitutes – 7. Fraser Barlow (for Bickley 69), 8. Joe Kilshaw (for Watson 69), 12. Seaney McColgan (for Nixon 77), 21, Sammy Henia-Kamau (for Ritzema 65), 23. Harry Curtis (for Giles 77) 

All Red; GK All Yellow  

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton and Dave Kennedy (Assistants), Richard Hebert (GK Coach), Karl Benest (Kit), Steve Martin (Medical)

Ascot United – Kie Plumley, Ricco Bullard-Jeffrey, Cameron Rohart-Brown, Rudi Pache (wore 17), Joshua Bassey, Kai Allsopp (c), Fope Deru, Jaye Long, Lui Edwards, Harley Platel, Jake Coomes
Substitutes – 12. Regan Clarke-Salter (for Bassey 60), 14. Ismail Amiri (for Coomes 60), 15. Connor Richardson (not used), 16. Baback Dehgani (for Platel 69), 18. Chukwuka Uzor (for Deru 69) 

All Royal Blue; GK All Turquoise 

Gavin Smith (Manager), Victor Ocansey (Assistant), Lauren Knight (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-17-5-14; 16; 6-10-20-11; 9
Ascot United (4-1-4-1) 1: 2-17-5-3; 8; 7-10-6-11; 9

Officials – Craig P. Charles (Harlow), Harold J. “Harry” Waldron (Southampton), dug outs, Ryan Thomas (Eastleigh) grandstand   

Caution(s) – Jamie Watling (JB) 88 

Corners – Jersey Bulls (4) 7, Ascot United (3) 3

Assist(s) – James Sunley (1st, 2nd & 4th), Jay Giles

Player of the Match – Lorne Bickley

Added Time – 2.00 & 4.00 (6.00)