Jersey’s first away league fixture of the season was a trip to Alton over whom they did the double last season. A 2-0 win, with two late goals, at Springfield in December was followed by a 2-1 win at Alton in February. They finished 13^th last season. This season they opened with a 2-5 loss at Tadley Calleva in the F.A. Cup before sharing the points in a 1-1 draw at home to A.F.C. Croydon Athletic on Saturday.

Injuries forced Jersey into making four changes to their starting line-up. Player of the match on Saturday after coming on as a substitute, Harry Curtis, retained his place in central defence with Frank Tobin, Ben Le Rougetel and Miguel Carvalho coming in for James Queree, Kamen Nafkha and James Carr respectively.

The latter trio were all carrying knocks but formed the bench. None of them were to be utilised, the first time that had happened in Jersey’s short history. It was Adam Trotter’s 99^th appearance and Jay Giles 111^th which, as Queree did not come on, makes Giles Jersey’s leading appearance maker in his own right. Alton had just three players remaining from the meeting six months ago.

Jersey kicked off attacking the Skate Park end of the Anstey Park 3G ground on a mild (17C) evening. The pitch was bouncier than Springfield’s and made ball control tricky at times. Both sides struggled to make much headway but Alton were not averse to throwing their weight about and their captain was called over by the referee, after a late challenge by Pat Cox on Luke Campbell, as early as the sixth minute. Nevertheless, they often went down rather easily when tackled.

Alton were unfortunate to lose both Matt Graham and Cox, to pulled muscles in the first half but not before Cox had been cautioned for another foul as had Adam New for a very poor tackle on Lorne Bickley. Curtis joined them in added time for pushing over George Bowerman. The break arrived scoreless with Miguel Carvalho and Fraser Barlow probing down the flanks but failing to deliver a crucial final ball.

After the interval Jersey continued to have most of the play without creating much to trouble Lewis Mees in the home goal and his organised back four. The card count continued to rise with Campbell and Barlow cautioned along with the hosts Owen Lumsden, Joe Sowden and Louis Russell.

Just when it looked as though Alton would hold out Le Rougetel launched a long diagonal ball forward from the half way line. It fell to Barlow who hooked the high bouncing ball in off Mees’ hands into the right corner. There was still time for Tobin to be cautioned and then Lumsden too, for a second time, for pulling back Carvalho after being beaten for pace near the half way line, and so Alton were down to ten.

In added time Luke Watson put Bickley free on the right of centre. His powerful shot was well parried by Mees but unfortunately for him it fell to Watson to tuck away.

Alton 0, Jersey Bulls 2 (Fraser Barlow 85, Luke Watson 90+6)

Attendance – 219

Programme – 28pp, £2

Alton – Lewis Mees, Jamie Phillips, Adam New, Rowan Sharratt, Ed Dyson, Owen Lumsden, Joe Sowden, Louis Russell, George Bowerman, Pat Cox, Matt Graham (wore 16)
Substitutes – 11. Liam Marshall (for Sowden 63), 12. Dylan Averiss (for Graham 12), 14. Assad Ssemogerere (for Cox 39), 18. Adam Brice (for Sharratt 88), 21. (sub GK) Harvey Ashdown (not used)

White(Black sleeves)/Black/Black; GK All Yellow

Kevin Adair (Manager), Leigh Keddle (Assistant), Steve Franks (Coach), Matt Benham (Coach), Rosie Miron (Physio.)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Frank Tobin, Jay Giles, Harry Curtis, Luke Campbell (c), Ben Le Rougetel, Fraser Barlow, Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley, Luke Watson, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 14. James Queree (not used), 15. James Carr (not used), 16. Kamen Nafkha (not used), 17. Kevan Nelson (not used), only four substitutes, none used for the first time

Red/White/Red; GK All Dark Green

Gary Freeman (Manager), Kevan Nelson (Assistant), Richard Hebert (GK Coach)

Formations
Alton (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-5-3-16; 7-6-4-8; 10-9
Jersey Bulls (4-3-3 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-3; 6-10-8; 7-9-11

Referee – Scott Crowhurst (Guildford) originally from Letchworth, ran the line as a late replacement at Ash United in September 2020. In his 17^th season as a referee, currently serving as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Aldershot.

Assistants – James Knight (Crowthorne) on the dug-outs side and Radu Lungu (Aldershot) on the grandstand side

Cautions – New (A) 31, Cox (A) 35, Curtis (JB) 45+5, Campbell (JB) 50, Lumsden (A) 53, Sowden (A) 61, Barlow (JB) 79, Russell (A) 84, Tobin (JB) 90, Lumsden (A) again 90+2 and off.

Corners – Alton (0) 0; Jersey Bulls (1) 4

Player of the Match – Harry Curtis

Added Time – 5.50 & 6.50 (12.40)