Jersey met Corinthian-Casuals for the first time. A club with a rich history, originally two clubs established in the 1880s which had merged in 1939. They played in the Isthmian League 1946-84, Spartan League 1984-96 and were Amateur Cup finalists in 1956 and semi-finalists the following season. They spent a solitary season in the Combined Counties League in 1996-97 when they were runners-up. They then returned to the Isthmian League until last season when they finished bottom of Division 1 South-Central which returned them to the Combined Counties League.

This season they were lying 9th with a 5-1-6 22-28 record. They had been knocked out of the F.A. Cup, F.A. Vase and London Senior Cup by North Greenford United, Whitstable Town and Metropolitan Police but were still in the Combined Counties Cup. Their league season started with some difficult fixtures and they went down to the only goal of the games against both Redhill and Knaphill sandwiching a win at Sheerwater. That was followed by four wins, three of them away, before four defeats, three of them away again. On Tuesday they drew 1-1 at Knaphill.

Jersey welcomed back Jonny Le Quesne from injury and Will Byers was available too. They were both on the bench along with Kieran Lester, Seaney McColgan and Fergus Boyle as Jersey kept an unchanged starting team.

Corinthian-Casuals made four changes to the team that drew at Knaphill, Webber Silva-Sobrinho made his debut in goal and Michael Onovwigun came in to play in front of the back four. Ryan Green and Jean-Pascale “Trey” Masikini were both promoted from the bench.

The visitors were unfortunate early on when their defender Derek “Tommy” Castelo badly twisted his right ankle in only the second minute. After a lengthy stoppage he was gingerly helped off the pitch and before half time he was in an ambulance and taken to hospital to ascertain the extent of the problem.

Corinthian-Casuals made the early pressing but were kept out by solid defending with both Joe Kilshaw and James Queree making important interceptions. This kept the visitors at bay and their long shots failed to trouble Euan Van der Vliet. Similarly, Jersey had failed to trouble the visitor’s debutant goalkeeper and the nearest they came was when Toby Ritzema tried to curl in a twenty-yard shot just after the lengthy stoppage time began.

It seemed that it would be a goalless half until the fifth added minute. Then Sammy Sutcliffe, ten yards inside his own half, clipped a long forward towards the right corner. Karl Hinds was adjudged to be onside and after letting the ball run, cut in, drew the ‘keeper, and passed inside. It evaded Kilshaw who had made up yards to be on hand but reached Rai Dos Santos at the back post who lifted it over the covering defender from six yards to give Jersey an interval lead.

Just after the hour Toby Ritzema played in Dos Santos in the left channel ten yards out but the ‘keeper was quickly out to block the shot with his legs. The ‘keeper was not so clever a minute later when he gifted Jersey their second goal. Sutcliffe showed his strength on the right sideline just inside the half to regain possession. He chipped the ball forward and a diving defender headed the ball backwards. It looked as though it would be a corner but Silva-Sobrinho made a valiant effort to stop it crossing the line. He did so but only succeeded in fumbling the ball back to Hinds who was rewarded for his persistence in chasing a lost cause by being able to walk the ball home.

Shortly afterwards Hinds had the opportunity for a third. A long diagonal pass by Luke Watson found Dos Santos on the left corner of the box. His pass inside to Hinds was side-footed just wide of the left post from twenty yards. A minute later a surging run by Ritzema ended with a pass to Hinds whose toe poke from twelve yards was pushed around the right post by Silva-Sobrinho.

Van der Vliet was at last called into action when substitute Frazier Osunkoyaunleashed a powerful left foot cross-shot from the edge of the box, but it was at a comfortable height for the ’keeper to hold as he dived to his right. With quarter of an hour left a flowing Ritzema-Watson move set up substitute Kieran Lester ten yards out but he wanted another touch which let Marcos Dos Santos get in a saving tackle.

Jersey therefore won their fifth successive match, all with clean sheets. It keeps Jersey in fourth place and they next travel to fifth placed Cobham who today defeated the previously unbeaten league leaders, Redhill, 4-1.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Joe Kilshaw, Fraser Barlow, James Queree (c), Sammy Sutcliffe, Luke Watson, Rai Dos Santos (14. Seaney McColgan 83), Toby Ritzema (15. Will Byers 77), Karl Hinds (wore 20), Jack Boyle (19. Kieran Lester 63), Miguel Carvalho (17. Fergus Boyle 87). Unused 12. Jonny Le Quesne

Red/White/Red: GK All Green

Dan Garton (Assistant) in charge as Elliot Powell (Manager) was away, Adam Lester and Andy Dewhurst (Coaches), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst), Steve Martin (Medical)

Corinthian-Casuals – Webber Silva-Sobrinho, Derek “Tommy” Castelo (16. Dejardin Grant 6, 14. Jerson Dos Santos 57), Hakeem Adelakun, Michael Onovwigun, Ryan Green, Marcos Dos Santos, Kiyo Brown (15. Rayon Dillon 57), Ben Cheklit (c), Kieron Cadogan, Jean-Pascale “Trey” Masikini, Shea Cascoe-Rogers (17. Frazier Osunkoya 68) Unused 12. Richard Blackwell

Chocolate & Pink halves/Navy Blue/Navy Blue; GK All Yellow

Mu Maan (Manager), Mo Maan (Coach), Carly Doyle (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-5-4-3; 6; 11-10-8-7; 20
Corinthian Casuals (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-5-6-3; 4; 7-10-8-11; 9

Match Officials – Promise Phillips (Streatham) 34, Born in Nigeria, moved to England when young, Qualified in 2018. The Combined Counties League Compliance Officer, on the line here in March for the Redhill match. Promoted to Level 4 this season and can therefore now referee Premier Division matches.

James Richard Bird (Wycombe), Qualified in 1989 and officiated in the Hellenic League until three seasons ago when the geographical re-structuring brought him in to Combined Counties territory. Twice previously at Springfield for Knaphill in December 2021 and A.F.C. Croydon Athletic in February 2023. He was also on the line at Wycombe Wanderers in March 2022 when we hosted Banstead Athletic there.

Simon Michael Cook (also Wycombe) Qualified in 2020, initially with the Thames Valley League and now in his third Combined Counties season. Previously at Springfield in December 2023 for the visit of Abbey Rangers.

Cautions – Luke Watson (JB) 53 (persistent), Michael Onovwigun (CC) 82 (dangerous)

Corners – Jersey Bulls (1) 7; Corinthian-Casuals (1) 1

Assists – Karl Hinds and Sammy Sutcliffe

Player of the Match – Rai Dos Santos

Added Time – 7.25 & 3.45 (11.10)