After four away matches, one of them in the cup and with one of the league games abandoned, Jersey played their first home game of the season. They hosted Walton & Hersham, 8th of 10 last season, only avoiding relegation by a point after being deducted three. This season they were one place and three points ahead of Jersey having played two more matches.

This season they lost 0-3 to Montpelier Villa in the F.A. Women’s Cup before opening their league campaign with a 0-5 loss against the strong Sutton United team. They then defeated Kingsmeadow United 4-1 before going down by the only goal of the game to Milford and Witley. Last week they featured in a remarkable 6-6 draw with Manorcroft United. 

Jersey initially made one change to the squad that had played at Fleet last week with Aine Ruth replacing the unavailable Sam Silva-Pinto. In addition, they added two more juniors meaning the squad now had seven U18s in it. Alicia Pinel from Sports Club of Jersey was added as a back up goalkeeper and Daisy-Mae Kilpatrick from Rozel Rovers was also in line for a debut.

However, after the squad being announced skipper Holly Sundby was injured in training on Thursday evening. Her partner, Tiffany Sundby, took over the captaincy and Evie Smilek was drafted into the starting eleven to take Holly’s place. Sophie Thornton and Lauren Queree also swapped roles from last week. 

Walton and Hersham made four changes to their starting team. Sarah Byrne, Josie Liddle, Abigail Wilkinson and Nikki Woods were replaced by Victoria Linehan, Josefina Wright, Olivia Moore-Millar and Alice Hitchcock; the latter a substitute last week. Tiegan Watson and Josie Liddle were added to the bench, but neither played. 

Teams changed ends and Jersey kicked off, looking into the sun, attacking the Town end 2.00.30

Jersey started encouragingly and could have had two goals in the opening five minutes, both Roisin Flynn and Evie Smilek squandering one on one chances.

Where Victoria Linehan in the Walton goal had been fortunate on those two occasions she paid the price for them with the opening goal. Natasha Keen played a corner from the right to the far post where Amelia Smalle, under pressure from Danielle Bradshaw, volleyed it back in the direction it had come, only to hit Linehan at the near post in the back of the head and deflect it into the top right corner.

The second goal was also a defensive error. Bradshaw hit a long ball down the middle where it was chased by defender Hannah Lovett with Amy Guthrie on her tail. Linehan came out and cannoned the ball off Lovett, and it fell nicely for Guthrie to apply the coup de grace.

Roisin Flynn’s pace was troubling the visitors back four and when she latched on to a long ball forward by Grace Clarke, she was mercilessly chopped down by Alice Hitchcock. A horror tackle that her namesake Alfred would have been proud. She was dismissed and Flynn required lengthy treatment after which Keen put away the spot kick just past the diving Linehan’s left hand.

At this point, three up and playing against ten, you would have expected Jersey to have capitalised but they persisted with a long ball game that Walton & Hersham coped with easily. The visitors came the nearer to scoring when a right flank corner just before the interval sailed over everyone, hit the far post and was eventually hacked clear by Clarke at the near post.

The second half was a non event as the players tired in the warm conditions. 

 

Jersey Bulls – Tayah Vasse, Tiffany Sundby(c), Natasha Keen (wore 14), Grace Clarke, Danielle Bradshaw, Lauren Le Garignon, Roisin Flynn, Aine Ruth (wore 12), Amy Guthrie, Sophie Thornton (wore 18), Evie Smilek.
Substitutes – 3. Daisy-Mae Kilpatrick (for Keen 68), 8. Holly Sundby (not used), 13. Alicia Pinel (sub GK) (not used), 15. Coco Leonard (for Smilek 32) 16. Lauren Queree (for Bradshaw 63). Smilek returned for Flynn 46
 

All Red; GK All Yellow

Chad Morris (Manager), Harry Walker (Assistant and Medical), Laura Riley (Coach), Jonathan Le Fondre (GK Coach)

Walton & Hersham – Victoria Linehan, Josefina Wright (wore 14), Aimee Boxall (c), Alice Hitchcock (wore 17), Amelia Smalle (wore 20), Megan Spalding, Charlotte Willis-Sloanes, Charlotte Robson, Alexandra Popper, Olivia Moore-Millar, Hannah Lovett
Substitutes – 12. Kaycie Wareham (for Moore-Millar 22), 15. Tiegan Watson (not used), 21. Josie Liddle (sub GK) (not used)

All Purple with White trim; GK All Orange

Samantha Watson (Manager), Joshua Hyland and Paul Fox (Coaches) 

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-3-3) 1; 2-18-5-14; 12-6-4; 7-9-11
Walton & Hersham (4-4-2) 1; 3-6-17-11; 8-9-20-14; 7-10 

Officials – Ben Sweeney (Jersey), Joshua Hyland (Walton & Hersham) dug outs first half, grandstand second half; Lionel Gomes (Jersey Bulls) the reverse

Caution(s) – Alice Hitchcock (W&H) dismissed 28, Samantha Watson (W&H manager) dissent 33, Paul Fox (W&H coach) dissent 33

Corners – Jersey Bulls (3) 5; Walton & Hersham (3) 4

Assist(s) – Natasha Keen, Danielle Bradhshaw, Roisin Flynn

Player of the Match – Grace Clarke

Added Time – 1.15 & 3.00 (4.15)