Jersey travelled to Erith Town for a match between the most northerly and southerly teams in the division. The match was originally due to start at 1p.m. but had to be re-arranged when Jersey’s early flight was cancelled the day before. Erith won promotion from the Southern Counties East League two years ago via the play-offs. They finished 14th in their inaugural season at the higher level but this season have hovered just above the relegation places and they lay 18th with a 8-10-14 47-62record. Nevertheless, they stretched Jersey in mid-December, taking the lead in front of Springfield’s lowest crowd of the season, before Jersey clinched a 3-1 victory with an added time goal. Adam Woodward, Erith’s long serving manager, who achieved a league and cup double in 2024 stepped down later that month. He was replaced in January by joint player/managers Aaron Jeffery, who scored their goal at Springfield, and Calum McGeechan. They have radically changed the squad and the team that held play-off contenders, Deal Town, to a draw on Tuesday, only contained five of the sixteen that travelled to Jersey.

It was captain James Queree’s stag do so he was absent, as were Jonny Le Quesne, Frances Lekimamati, James Sunley and Pierce Roche. Due to the shortage, it was not possible to release Miguel Carvalho for the U21 Muratti in Guernsey on Friday night. Adam Trotter was still out too but Harry Curtis was back after exactly a year out with a broken leg. Max Corbett, a defender with Jersey Wanderers, was brought in as additional cover for a squad that would only have three substitutes. With Queree and Le Quesne both out it was Jay Giles who wore the armband,

Erith Town made two changes to their Deal line up with McGeechan and Jedd Hobbs replacing Jerome Jayaguru and Oluwadamilola Olusesi. On their bench Harry Taylor and Olusesi replaced Lea Dawson and McGeechan.

Teams stayed ends and Jersey kicked off attacking the North-West end 1.34.50

Erith took the lead just as they had at Springfield. It came from a Jersey corner with Elliott Wenham making a swift break from the edge of his own area. He found Deven Reid-Solanki on the right and as defenders converged on him, and Euan Van der Vliet advanced, he managed to pass inside. James Dyer just left of the penalty spot was unmarked and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Last week’s hat-trick hero Rai Dos Santos put a cross shot wide of the right post before Erith were denied a second by a superb reaction save from Van der Vliet. Dyer crossed from the right and Reid-Solanki’s shot was pushed onto the left post by the ‘keeper. Erith again caught Jersey on the break just before the half hour when Albie O’Mara-Knapp also broke down the right and his shot hit the top of the bar and went over.

Just after the half hour a Dos Santos twenty five yard volley was tipped around the post by Harrison Firth diving low to his left but from the subsequent corner Jersey equalised. Jay Giles found Jamie Watling left of centre and his strong header found the top right corner. It looked as though Jersey would take the lead two minutes later when Lorne Bickley put Dos Santos clear but a slight bobble as he lobbed Firth meant the ball went narrowly wide. Kilshaw and Dos Dantos both put in threatening shots but just as Jersey looked to be in command Erith regained the lead. A longthrow from the left was not fully cleared and the ball eventually ricocheted back to O’Mara-Knapp seven yards out to drill home.

Dos Santos nearly scored straight after the interval as he had done last week but his shot from the edge of the box went narrowly wide. A poor punch by Van der Vliet only went to Reid-Solanki near the penalty spot but with the goal at his mercy he blasted over. Jersey were soon back on terms when a Giles cross was met by a cushioned header from Luke Campbell. Bickley swiftly controlled it and shot into the bottom right corner for the equaliser

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Before the hour an Andrew Dythe clearance hit McGeechan and cannoned over his own bar and shortly afterwards a last ditch McGeechan tackle robbed Bickley as he was about to shoot. McGeechan was injured in so doing and this began a succession of changes, but none made a serious impression. Both sides huffed and puffed for the last half hour without any significant chances arising to leave the points shared.

Erith Town – Harrison Firth, Mal Turner, Andrew Dythe (c), Calum McGeechan (wore 15), Elliott Wenham, Jed Hobbs, James Dyer, Bertie Valler, Albie O’Mara-Knapp, Richie Atkins (wore 16), Deven Reid-Solanki (wore 19)

Substitutes – 10. Harry Taylor (for O’Mara-Knapp 64), 11. Oliver Milton (not used), 14. Oluwadamilola Olusesi (for McGeechan 64), 17. Jabari Christmas (for Atkins 88), 18. Ethan Okechukwu (for Reid-Solanki 78)

Red and Black wide stripes//Black/Black; GK All Light Green

Aaron Jeffery and Calum McGeechan (Joint Managers), Jason Long and Nathan White (Coaches), Wayne Foreman (GK Coach), Georgia Brookes (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis (wore 23), Jay Giles (c) (wore 14), Jamie Watling (wore 15), Luke Campbell, Toby Ritzema, Luke Watson (wore 16), Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 3. James Carr (for Dos Santos 83), 7. Fraser Barlow (for Carvalho 64), 18, Max Corbett (not used), only three substitutes

Gold/Navy Blue/Navy Blue; GK All Light Blue

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

Formations (R to L)
Erith Town (4-4-2) 1; 2-15-5-3; 19-6-16-8; 9-7
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 23-15-5-14; 16: 11-10-8-6; 9

Officials – Michael Wright (Rochford, Essex), Elora D. Hardstaff (Colchester) dug outs, Royan Campbell (Redbridge) grandstand

Cautions – Richie Atkins (ET) 45 simulation, Toby Ritzema (JB) 48, Elliott Wenham (ET) 52, Fraser Barlow (JB) 66, Joe Kilshaw (JB) 79, Harry Taylor (ET) 81

Corners – Erith Town (0) 4; Jersey Bulls (4) 6

Assist(s) – Jay Giles, Luke Campbell

Player of the Match – Jamie Watling, honourable mentions for Jay Giles and Lorne Bickley

Added Time – 1.50 & 5.00 (6.50)