Jersey travelled to the East coast of Kent for their last away match of the “regular” season. They needed a point to ensure a play-off place, but a win would still give them an outside chance of a home fixture in them. Deal were 8th (20-6-14 89-64) having faltered slightly after a run of seven consecutive wins in January/February had taken them to the fringes of the play-off positions but these were now beyond them. The teams had played out a close match in mid November with Jersey winning 2-1 thanks to goals ninety-three minutes apart. Miguel Carvalho had scored in the opening minute, and Rai Dos Santos then scored the winner in the fourth added minute. Deal brought a sizeable travelling support with them that day which lifted the crowd into four figures. Deal had finished seventh last year in their debut season in the Isthmian League, having been promoted after winning the Southern Counties East title in 2023-24.

Jersey brought in Francis Lekimamati for Stan Dunne in the only change to the squad that won 1-0 at Beckenham Town last week. Captain James Queree started and re-took the armband, with James Sunley becoming a substitute. Quereeunexpectedly played on the right of defence with Harry Curtis moving into the middlewith Jamie Watling. Deal elevated Josh Vincent from the bench with Zak Hammond moving in the opposite direction. Owen Wilkinson replaced Morgan Page as a substitute. Jack Penny was making his 300th appearance for Deal.

The high bouncing pitch did not make for good football with both teams preferring to clear their lines rather than play a passing game. The first chance fell to Deal in the 7th minute when a ball in from the left from Ashley Miller was flicked past Euan Van der Vliet by Ben Chapman at the near post, but Jamie Watling was well placed to clear off the line. Jersey capitalised shortly afterwards with Lorne Bickley giving them the lead. Rai Dos Santos laid the ball off to Jay Giles on the left flank. His pass forward bypassed Toby Ritzema and found Bickley in the left channel. He evaded the onrushing James Tonkin and the two defenders desperately trying to clear the ball off the line.

Dos Santos had an excellent chance on the quarter hour to break his away league duck. Put clear by Miguel Carvalho his first touch was heavy and enabled to Tonkin to get something on his chip and a defender was able to clear. Deal had an excellent chance to equalise after 20 minutes. Another cross from the left, this time by Rory Smith found Miller unmarked six yards out, but he did not connect properly with his volley which might still have done damage if it had not been straight at Van der Vliet.

Each side had a corner just before the half hour. Each went to the back post; Luke Watson headed firmly but straight at Tonkin and Deal’s went back across the face of the goal before being cleared. Carvalho created another good opportunity for Dos Santos, but his cross shot was at a nice height for Tonkin to push away as he dived to his right. Tonkin also thwarted Bickley when he was quickly out at his feet after the striker had evaded Jacob Strouts. Another Jersey corner was flicked on to the far post where a spectacular Dos Santos bicycle kick flew well over in the last significant action of the first half.

After the break Ritzema attempted a curler to the right corner, but it was at a good height for Tonkin to get across. Miller crossed for Chapman in the centre and he hooked the ball over the defence, but Van der Vliet was able to get back to push it away from just under the bar. Just before the hour a quick throw on the left let DosSantos attack down the left channel. He attempted to square the ball to Carvalho rushing in at the far post, but Tonkin was quickly down to cut it out.

With ten minutes to go Tonkin came to Deal’s rescue again. Substitute Fraser Barlow played the ball inside to Adam Trotter, but Tonkin guessed correctly as Trotter shot to Tonkin’s left. It rolled away but just eluded Barlow as he followed in before it went out for a corner. From that the ball was flicked back to another substitute, Francis Lekimamati, but his shot landed on the roof of the net. Yet another substitute, James Sunley, was denied by Tonkin in added time as he spun around from near the penalty spot. It was the last chance as Jersey ground out the vital result.

Deal Town – James Tonkin, Josh Vincent (wore 20), Jack Penny, Alfie Foster, Jacob Strouts, Alex Green (wore 15), Ashley Miller (wore 17), Macauley Murray (c), Callum Davies (wore 21), Ben Chapman, Rory Smith
Substitutes – 2. Zak Hammond (for Foster 65), 12. Joe Reeves (for Smith 81), 16. James Fielding (not used), 19. Owen Wilkinson (for Green 58), 24 Wes Hennessey(for Vincent 70)

White with dark Grey hoops/Black/White(Black tops); GK Grey-Black/Grey-Black/Black

Steve King (Manager), Dean Hill (Assistant), Kieron Hollier, and David Briggs (Coaches), Daniel Levey (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis (wore 23), Jay Giles (wore 14), James Queree (c), Jamie Watling (wore 15), Toby Ritzema, Luke Watson (wore 16),Adam Trotter (wore 12), Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 7. Fraser Barlow (for Bickley 78), 8. Joe Kilshaw (for Trotter 88), 20. James Sunley (for Dos Santos 88), 21. Francis Lekimamati (for Carvalho 71), only four substitutes

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dave Kennedy (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach), Karl Benest (Kit), Nikki Nicolle (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Deal Town (4-4-2) 1; 5-8-15-21; 3-4-10-11; 20-17
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 4-23-15-14; 16; 11-12-6-10; 9

Officials – Ayden T.P.B. Gillespie (Maidstone), Rhys T. Jeffery (Ashford, Kent) dug outs, Piotr Zachwieja (Orpington) pavilion side

Caution(s) – Alfie Foster (DT) 52, Jay Giles (JB) 76, Fraser Barlow (JB) time wasting 89

Corners – Deal Town (3) 3; Jersey Bulls (3) 8

Assist(s) – Jay Giles

Player of the Match – Jamie Watling

Added Time – 0.10 & 4.00 (4.10)