Having had their match with 100% Redhill called off on Saturday due to flight unavailability in the holiday season Jersey had had another unplanned break. The inactivity had pushed Jersey down to 10th place but they now had up to four games in hand on most of the teams above them.

Balham, the only other amateur team in the division, finished 9th last season but were lying 18th with one win and one draw in five league games. They had defeated Midhurst and Easebourne in the F.A. Cup before going out to Badshot Lea but were still in the F.A. Vase after a shoot-out win against Punjab United.

Last season Jersey won 2-0 (Lorne Bickley and Fraser Barlow) in late August at Balham, who were then sharing at A.F.C. Croydon Athletic. In late January at Springfield Bickley again gave Jersey the lead but Piers Oldland equalised before half-time and Jersey were unable to find a winner in the second half. Balham had now re-located to share at Tooting and Mitcham United’s Imperial Fields, a much better playing surface.

Jersey made two changes to their starting XI with John “J.J.” Lloyd continuing after replacing the injured Jay Giles at Horley Town and Miguel Carvalho coming in for Fraser Barlow. Barlow was on the bench alongside defenders Jack Lumsden and Luke Campbell.

Jersey got off to a dream start with two goals in the opening four minutes. The first after 83 seconds saw a Euan Van der Vliet punt forward nodded on by Bickley which took out the two central defenders. It fell nicely for Toby Ritzema who had anticipated well and was being played onside by the two flanking defenders. His first touch was heavy but John Ross in the Balham goal hesitated and Ritzema was able to lift the ball over him when he did advance.

Two minutes later, after Kojo Kyei had gone through the back of Carvalho, Luke Watson played a quick free-kick to Ritzema. He found James Sunley on the left flank and he did very well to skip past attempted tackles by both Oldland and Ed McCrea on the sideline before pulling the ball back towards the penalty spot. Carvalho reacted the quickest and he beat Kyei to the ball to side foot the ball home from ten yards benefitting from “nutmegging” both Matt Palmer and Ross as it went in.

Carvalho continued to be a threat and midway through the half put in a low cross that just eluded Bickley in the middle and then the left post on its way out for a goal kick.

Shortly afterwards both sides needed to make changes after separate incidents left both Harry Curtis and Balham striker James Anderson hobbling. Luke Campbell was a natural fit for Curtis whilst Anderson was replaced by Tom Lanek-Read. The latter had scored twice against the Bulls in season 2021-22 and another the following season when the clubs met at Ascot United.

After half an hour Balham had their first shot when Luke Hedges shot well over but from the consequent goal kick Lanek-Read intercepted James Queree’s attempted pass to Watson. Lanek-Read fed Omaric Stewart on the left flank and then chested his cross down which Hedges volleyed through Campbell’s legs and past the partially unsighted Van der Vliet. A defensive “howler” that changed the complexion of a game that Jersey had been dominating. A suitable half-time “roasting” followed.

Ten minutes into the second period Carvalho played a good chip forward to give Bickley an opportunity advancing down the right channel, but under pressure from Palmer his shot was blocked by Ross at the near post. From the subsequent play out Oldland was robbed by Sunley on the left flank and he then hit a marvellous early “Trivela” pass with the outside of his boot to the far post where Bickley eight yards out bravely dived in front of Emmery to head home into the bottom right corner.

Having restored their two-goal advantage Jersey set about seeing the match out as both sides rang the changes. The most concerning was an injury to Campbell who had to be replaced by Jack Lumsden and meant two central defenders injured in the same match. Early in added time Jersey scored again. A long throw by Lloyd found Bickley in the left channel a dozen yards out. Closely marshalled by substitute Jordan Skeene he was brought down as he attempted to turn. The referee pointed to the spot much to the consternation of unlucky number 13 Skeene and his co-defenders. Bickley rifled the penalty high down the middle as Ross dived to his right.

The win moved Jersey up to 8th as the fledgling table indicates that it will be those eight, plus possibly Fleet Town who have only played three matches, who will be the

contenders for the end of season honours.

Balham – John Ross, Ed McCrea (12. Erick Arias 71), Max Emmery (14. Sebastian Fallowfield 65), Dan David (c), Mark Palmer (13. Jordan Skeene 76), Kojo Kyei, Omaric Stewart, Evans Lamboh (9. James Adebayo 62), James Anderson (wore 15)(16. Tom Lanek-Read 27), Luke Hedges, Piers Oldland

White/Black/Black; GK All Maroon

Dare Jean-Pierre (Manager), Abraham Tagoe, Acer Gebreselassie and Roby Segura(Coaches), A. Rowlands (Kit), Seneye Morrell and “Soshana” (Medical)

Jersey Bulls - Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, John "J.J." Lloyd, James Queree (c), Harry Curtis (15. Luke Campbell 23; 12 Jack Lumsden 74), Luke Watson, Toby Ritzema, Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, James Sunley, Miguel Carvalho(14. Fraser Barlow 71). Only three substitutes

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Adam Lester (Assistant & Medical), Dan Garton (Assistant)

Formations (R to L)
Balham (4-4-2) 1; 2-6-5-3; 11-8-4-7; 15-10

Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-5-4-3; 6; 11-7-8-10; 9

Match Officials: Stephen Matthews (Chessington), Ashley Carley (Roehampton) on the dug outs/grandstand side and Ben Wright (Walworth) on the far side

Cautions – Luke Watson (JB) 55, Max Emmery (B) 62, Fraser Barlow (JB) 73, Lorne Bickley (JB) 83, Toby Ritzema (JB) 90

Corners – Balham (1) 2; Jersey Bulls (3) 5

Assists – Bickley, Sunley, Sunley again, Lloyd

Player of the Match – James Sunley

Added Time – 5.50 & 3.05 (8.55)