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 14th with a record of 6-2-11 22-36.

This fixture was originally scheduled for the morning of December 27th so when Colliers Wood requested a change, as they would have difficulty staffing the match on that date, Jersey were only too happy to agree.

Colliers Wood defeated the Bulls’ U23s, masquerading as the first team, 5-2 in the Combined Counties Cup a few weeks ago. They had seven of that team starting again, although their regular goalkeeper was absent and a central defender had to take on the role. Jersey on the other hand had just Joe Kilshaw and Sol Solomon returning to the venue.

Jersey rotated their squad, making four changes James Queree returned for Jonny Le Quesne and Kilshaw replaced the unavailable Kamen Nafkha. Ruben Mendes-Pestana and Keiran Lester also came in for Karl Hinds and Solomon respectively. The three displaced players all took their places on the bench. Gary Freeman returned from his quarantine to take the reins once more.

If this match had been scheduled for the previous day Storm Barra might have caused it to be postponed. The worst of the weather had passed but the pitch was sanded in parts making fluent football difficult. Conditions were wintry with a strong breeze from the top end rustling the leaves that littered the ground.

Colliers Wood kicked off, defending the A3 end, and competed at a level belying their league position. This and the tricky conditions meant that much of the match was played in midfield with goalmouth action at a premium.

Just before the half hour Ruben Mendes-Pestana, Jay Giles with a free kick, and Lorne Bickley all put long range efforts just wide or over. Shortly afterwards the feisty Daryl Hay had Colliers Wood’s best chance of the evening. A long ball down the left gave him the opportunity to cut in and test Euan Van der Vliet. However, his first touch was heavy and the ‘keeper stood tall to parry the shot.

Shortly after the interval Giles took another free kick forty yards out on the left. He found Luke Campbell ten yards out towards the far post. Campbell nodded the ball across the six-yard box and Fraser Barlow reacted quicker than Colliers Wood’s stand in ‘keeper to squeeze the ball in via the left post.

Just before the hour Colliers Wood put in a low cross from the left. It “pinballed” around the box but fortunately did not fall to a forward and was eventually cleared for Colliers Wood’s only corner of the match. Lorne Bickley had a shot blocked for a fruitless corner and on the hour was almost in for a second goal but was pulled up by the assistant’s flag.

Jersey introduced all three of their substitutes over the last half hour. In the last minute of added time Bickley set up Solomon, who had come on as a substitute for the first time this season. It was an excellent opportunity but uncharacteristically he shot straight at the ‘keeper.

So ended a scrappy match, won with a scrappy goal, that offered little entertainment for any neutral spectator. The three points were what mattered and it took Jersey up to fourth position, hard on the heels of the top three. All four have lost just once and two of those four have been to one another.

Colliers Wood United 0, Jersey Bulls 1 (Fraser Barlow 48)

Attendance – 83

Programme – 16 pages, £1.50

Colliers Wood United – Oli Thompson, Julien Saka, Callum Wilson, Nathan West (c), Charlie Mart, Harry Murphy, Wayne Brown, Brad Williams, Frankie Scott, Daryl Hay, Daniel De Cruz
Substitutes – Scott Walker (for Williams 85), Rmarni Blankson (for Scott 70), Dan Boateng (not used), Alex Nunes (for Saka 79), only four substitutes

Royal Blue & Black wide stripes at the front, all Royal Blue at the back, Black shorts, Black socks; GK All Purple

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

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, James Queree (c), Jay Giles, Jack Griffin, Luke Campbell, Joe Kilshaw, Fraser Barlow, Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley, Ruben Mendes-Pestana, Kieran Lester
Substitutes – Jonny Le Quesne (for Kilshaw 79). Sol Solomon (for Lester 64), Karl Hinds (for Mendes-Pestana 88), only three substitutes

Red/White/White; GK Yellow

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

Referee – Daniel Bishop (Ash, near Farnborough) who had been due at Springfield for the Molesey match that was “winded” off on 27th November.

Assistants – Alejandro Benitez-Cano (London & Seville), looking rather like Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, and Matthew Leaning (Surbiton)

Cautions – James Queree (JB) 66, Luke Campbell (JB) 73, none for Colliers Wood United although the feisty Daryl Hay was sailing very close to the wind at times

Corners – Colliers Wood United (0) 1; Jersey Bulls (3) 5

Player of the Match Award (commentator) – Luke Campbell (JB)