The U23 side that Bulls put out in this competition had an average age of only 19 years, 2 months for this fixture. They visited Colliers Wood United in West Wimbledon whose pitch is adjacent to the A3 as you drive towards London. Not an entrance to overshoot as you have to travel a few miles in order to reach it again.

Colliers Wood, formed as Vandyke in 1874, are the second oldest senior club in Surrey. They joined the Combined Counties Division 1 in 2003 and were immediately promoted to the Premier Division. They finished fourth in their second season at the higher level but have generally finished in the bottom half since then. They are similarly placed this season, lying 13th with a record of 6-2-9 22-30. They have reached the final of this competition twice, in 2012 and 2015, but lost them both.

Jersey made two starting changes to the team that won in the previous round at Tadley Calleva. Robbie Scott replaced Luke Duncan in goal and Sammy Sutcliffe came in for Jay Dos Santos. Dos Santos moved to the bench alongside Olly Rivers and Leandro Vieira. These latter two were both in line for making their “first team” debut, although both had appeared earlier in the season for the U23s.

The Bulls kicked off attacking the A3 entrance end on a chilly autumnal evening of 6C but fortunately there was little wind.

Jersey started well and took the lead after only three minutes when Robert Martins-Figueira finished well with a low cross shot. Daryl Hay forced a save from Scott after a quarter of an hour before Martins-Figueira’s next shot was deflected for a corner.

Colliers Wood equalised before the half hour when a corner was not dealt with and Dan De Cruz was on hand to finish off from a few yards out. They took the lead seven minutes later when a low cross from the right was dragged back for Seb Osei-Obengo to tap home from close in.

Before half time the teams traded free kicks taken by Brad Williams and Rai Dos Santos but neither troubled the ‘keepers and Scott also saved comfortably from another Osei-Obengo effort.

At the interval Jersey brought on Olly Rivers for his senior debut, in place of his brother Max. However, within four minutes a rash tackle saw him cautioned.

After 51 minutes, play was halted for a reason that was not immediately apparent. It transpired that a home supporter has collapsed. Both clubs’ physios assisted with his recovery and an ambulance was called. After a nine minute stoppage, play was resumed and commendably only five minutes after that an ambulance arrived.

Kilshaw soon brought a good save out of Roberts but Olly Rivers’ match ended after only 12 minutes of actual play when another tackle brought him his second caution.

Colliers Wood forced another good save from Scott, at full stretch, before a Toby Ritzema shot was deflected for another Jersey corner. From this Sol Solomon curled it in to the far post where Roberts, under pressure from Jack Lumsden, failed to reach it.

Equality only lasted three minutes before a thunderous shot from Alex Nunes restored Colliers Wood’s lead. Jersey retaliated when Josh Coutanche broke forward only to be brought down on the edge of the box to earn Oli Thompson a caution. The resultant free kick by Solomon was saved by Roberts.

Nathan West did better with a Colliers Wood free kick four minutes later. It was well placed and Scott could only watch it sail in to give Colliers Wood a two goal cushion against the ten men.

Solomon took a shot from twenty-five yards with two minutes of “normal” time to go but failed to get enough “dip” on it to trouble Roberts. However, there were twelve added minutes to be played in all and in the penultimate one Colliers Wood became the first opponents to score five against Jersey. The defence was pulled apart and Scott Walker finished off the move. The youngsters had battled gallantly but had come up against tough opposition battled hardened at Step Five level.

Colliers Wood United 5 (Dan De Cruz 26, Seb Osei-Obengo 33, Alex Nunes 75, Nathan West 83, Scott Walker 90+11), Jersey Bulls 2 (Robert Martins-Figueira 3, Sol Solomon 72)

Attendance – 55

Programme – 20 pages, £1.50

Colliers Wood United – Ben Roberts, Matt George, Harry Murphy, Alex Nunes, Oli Thompson, Wayne Brown, Daryl Hay, Nathan West(c), Seb Osei-Obengo, Brad Williams, Daniel De Cruz
Substitutes – Scott Walker (for Nunes 81), Greg Andrews (for Osei-Obengo 85), Ali Fofanah (for George 72), Dan Boateng (for West 89), only four substitutes.

Royal Blue/Black/Black; GK All Purple

Jamie De Cruz (Manager), Charlie Anderson (Assistant), Craig Stephens (Coach),
Jason Takyi (Physio.), C. Archer

Jersey Bulls – Robbie Scott, Luke Appleton, Josh Coutanche, Joe Kilshaw (c), Sammy Sutcliffe, Jack Lumsden, Max Rivers, Robert Martins-Figueira, Rai Dos Santos, Toby Ritzema, Sol Solomon,
Substitutes – Jay Dos Santos (for Appleton 84), Olly Rivers (for Max Rivers 46), Leandro Vieira (for Sutcliffe 90+6), only three substitutes

Red/White/White; GK Yellow

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

Referee – Andrew Thomson (Stockwell)

Assistants – Wayne Ingram (New Malden), Paris McAuliffe (Thames Ditton)

Cautions – O.Rivers (JB) 49 & 66 (so off), Lumsden (JB) 71, Thompson (CWU) 79, West (CWU) 87

Dismissal – O.Rivers (JB) 66

Corners – Colliers Wood United (3) 3, Jersey Bulls (3) 7

Player of the Match Award (commentator) – Sammy Sutcliffe (JB)