Jersey completed a trio of away games with a visit to Guildford City, lying 14th with a record of 8-7-14 40-48. Their recent record is 3-3-1 8-7 with the only loss being at league leaders A.F.C. Whyteleafe. Like Jersey their last opponents were Knaphill who they drew with 0-0 a fortnight ago before their next two fixtures were postponed. The recent drier weather meant that a proposed Friday night pitch inspection was called off but the pitch was inevitably still soft and uneven. Jersey had won the fixture at Springfield 1-0 in mid-September. Victory would guarantee Jersey a top five finish and with it a play-off place. It would also put Jersey top of the table, possibly only briefly, for the first time this season with Redhill kicking off later and A.F.C. Whyteleafe playing a F.A. Vase quarter final.

Kurtis Guthrie having obtained international clearance replaced the injured Rai Dos Santos up front. Jonny Le Quesne and Fraser Barlow rotated with Paul McKay and Miguel Carvalho and Karl Hinds, who scored the goal in the reverse fixture, was also on the bench with Adam Lester. Kieran Lester was suspended after his dismissal last week.

Jersey started brightly and forced a couple of early corners. From the second of these, swung in from the left by Jay Giles, Harry Curtis did well to head the ball goalwards as it came in behind him. Fraser Barlow, almost on the line, moved away.The unsighted ‘keeper Montague Conway and defender Ben Gambrah made a vain attempt to clear it with the latter only managing to deflect it into the roof of the net.

Giles, Toby Ritzema and Jonny Le Quesne all went close before the mid-point of the half before on the half hour Guildford striker Emmanuel Acheampong attempted to win a penalty when tackled by James Queree. He went on a “Portuguese Roll” which failed to impress the referee and resulted in “handbags” in which Jake Brown also simulated that he had been head butted by Euan Van der Vliet.

Jersey responded a few minutes later with a Luke Campbell shot from a narrow angle which Conway parried to keep the lead at one at the break.

After the interval Le Quesne had a shot blocked as Jersey piled on the pressure and Guildford made a double substitution. After ten minutes Barlow swivelled on a Guthrie nod down but Conway stuck out a “reactionary” hand to concede a corner.

The following minute Conway pushed a Campbell header away and Guthrie closing in could only stab the rebound wide. Barlow put a ball across the face of the goal but no one was there to stab it home. Barlow was then on a long ball forward by Giles and although his first touch was heavy and lessened the danger he was brought down by skipper Alex Stingelin. Luke Watson spent a long time preparing the penalty spot but eventually placed his attempt wide right as Conway dived the correct way.

Guildford breathed a sigh of relief but were undone a minute later when Acheampong arrived late and high on Campbell reducing the hosts to ten players.

Shortly afterwards Giles played a long ball down the left flank which Kilshaw crossed low first time to find Campbell, still up from the previous attack, to stab home from five yards. Now two down Guildford emptied their bench with a triple substitution.

Carvalho was brought on for Le Quesne before Toby Ritzema got himself needlessly cautioned. He was immediately replaced by Karl Hinds and Paul McKay came on for Kilshaw at the same time. Guildford had their best chance of the match shortly afterwards when substitute Deven Reid-Solanki bisected the Jersey defence with a diagonal through ball. Guildford’s best player, Gambrah, just reached it before Van der Vliet but the ‘keeper stuck out a right hand to maintain his clean sheet.

Guildford City – Montague Conway, Sam Sesay, Ben Gambrah, Ben Drake (vc), Alex Stingelin (c), Joe Atkin, Reece Robins (wore 14), Jaiden Chang-Brown, Jake Brown, Emmanuel Acheampong, Luca Le Page
Substitutes – 7. Deven Reid-Solanki (for Chang-Brown 54), 12. Alex Redway-Brown(for Atkin 70), 15. Kai Zini (for Le Page 54), 16. Freddie Robins (for Brown 70), 19. Darnell Jon-Peter (for Stingelin 70)

Red & White wide stripes with Red backs/Black/Black; GK All Lemon

Carl Taylor (Manager), Brad Graham (Assistant), Cornelius Nwadialor (Coach), Warren Le Page (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis, Jay Giles, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Jonny Le Quesne, Joe Kilshaw, Kurtis Guthrie, Toby Ritzema, Fraser Barlow
Substitutes – 14. Miguel Carvalho (for Le Quesne 74), 15. Paul McKay (for Kilshaw 77), 17. Adam Lester (not used), 19. Karl Hinds (for Ritzema 77), only four substitutes

Navy Blue/Navy Blue/White; GK All Green

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Adam Lester (Coach & Medical), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst)

Formations (R to L)
Guildford City (4-4-2) 1; 2-5-4-3; 8-6-14-11; 10-9
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 7-8-10-11; 9

Match Officials – Matthew Barrett (Binfield), Louie Chaisty (Windsor) dug outs sideand Daniel Brighty (Aldershot) grandstand side

Cautions – Emmanuel Acheampong (GC) s/off 66, Toby Ritzema (JB) 76

Corners – Guildford City (1) 1; Jersey Bulls (5) 7

Assists – Jay Giles, Joe Kilshaw

Player of the Match – Jay Giles

Added Time – 0.55 & 4.10 (5.05)