Jersey travelled to Hassocks, a picturesque town seven miles north of Brighton, situated on the South Downs of Sussex. Having spent thirty years in the Sussex League/Southern Combination with a best finish of fourth and never having gone beyond the second round of the F.A. Vase Hassocks stormed to the title last season with ninety-seven points and with it promotion.

This season at the higher level they lie 13th (5-4-5 20-21) and on Tuesday were seconds away from inflicting the first defeat of the season upon Faversham Town before an unfortunate own goal in the seventh added minute.
Jersey had Toby Ritzema injured, Luke Campbell suspended and Jamie Watling on holiday so added Harry Mackenzie and goalkeeper Pierce Roche to their squad. There were two changes to the team that beat Sevenoaks. Jonny Le Quesne replaced Watling in defence, with Queree moving in to the central position, and Fraser Barlow returned at the expense of Joe Kilshaw in midfield. Kilshaw moved to the bench along Mackenzie, Roche, James Sunley and Francis Lekimamati.
Hassocks with two wins and three draws in their past five matches, four of them away, in the previous three weeks, had eight players out with injuries. They made three changes to the team that drew at Faversham. Dan Allen and Zack Henry had picked up knocks in Kent and they as well Morgan Vale, who scored at Faversham, moved to the bench. Harvey Bryan-Enticknap, Damien Theodore and Ruari Farrell moved in the opposite direction. Lewis Finney replaced Liam Benson amongst the substitutes.

Jersey looked to have taken an early lead after six minutes when a Rai Dos Santos pass allowed Lorne Bickley to “score” from fifteen yards but the young assistant, looking into the sun, ruled it out, although replays showed Joe Bull was playing him onside.
Hassocks best chances of the match came after quarter of an hour. A Jack Troak cross from the left saw Damien Theodore, towards the far post, beat James Carr to 2 / 3the header and it needed a full stretch save from Euan Van der Vliet to tip it over.
From the subsequent corner on the right Matt Gunn at the back post headed goalwards only for James Queree positioned centrally to head it off the line.

Jersey responded with a break down the right by Miguel Carvalho but Lorne Bickley failed to gamble on his low diagonal cross which ended up as merely a goal kick. Bickley redeemed himself five minutes later when Barlow put him clear in the left channel. He advanced and nutmegged James Shaw as he came to meet him.

Just after the half hour Barlow was the next to have a “goal” disallowed. A flowing move down the left by Dos Santos saw him deliver a diagonal ball to Carvalho whose shot from fifteen yards was parried by Shaw. It fell to Barlow who half volleyed home only to have been adjudged offside at the time of the initial shot.
At the interval James Sunley was brought on for Carr. Sunley moved into midfield and Barlow took Carr’s slot at left back. Sunley was soon involved in the second goal. A long ball down the left was kept in by Dos Santos who cut inside and passed to the substitute who helped it on to Bickley to stab home from four yards.

Hassocks made a triple substitution before the hour and just after the hour Jersey brought on Francis Lekimamati for Carvalho with Dos Santos swapping sides. However, neither side made any significant advances in the last quarter of the match as Jersey played out time and rested their front men.

Hassocks – James Shaw, Harvey Blake (c), Joe Bull, Harvey Bryan-Enticknap, Matt Gunn, Liam Hendy, Damien Theodore, Josh Mundy, Ruari Farrell, Shay Leahy, Jack Troak
Substitutes – 12. Dan Allen (for Bryan-Enticknap 57), 14. Morgan Vale (for Theodore 86), 15. Lewis Finney (for Mundy 57), 16. Zack Henry (for Leahy 57), 22. Charlie Pitcher (for Farrell 75)
All Red (White trim); GK All Yellow
James Westlake (Manager), Lewis Westlake (Assistant), Jordan Wilson (Coach), Tim Edwards (GK Coach), Ellie-Mae Watson (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, James Carr, James Queree (c), Jay Giles (wore 14), Luke Watson (wore 16), Fraser Barlow, Adam Trotter (wore 12), Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 8. Joe Kilshaw (for Dos Santos 81), 13. Pierce Roche (sub GK, not used), 20. James Sunley (for Carr 46), 21. Francis Lekimamati (for Carvalho 64), 22. Harry Mackenzie (for Bickley 70)
All White (Lilac trim); GK All Green

3 / 3Elliot Powell (Manager), David Kennedy (Coach), Karl Benest (Kit), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst), Nicky Nicolle (Medical)
Formations (R to L)
Hassocks – (4-4-2) 1; 2-6-5-3; 7-4-8-11; 10-9
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-14-3; 16; 11-12-10-7; 9

Officials – Cameron T. Davis (Portsmouth), Matthew J. Dyson (East Grinstead) dug outs, Owen B. Lawrence (also East Grinstead) (grandstand)
Caution(s) – James Carr (JB) 29, Adam Trotter (JB) 32, Damien Theodore (H) 74, Blake (H) 90+5

Corners – Hassocks (2) 6, Jersey Bulls (0) 2

Assist(s) – Fraser Barlow, James Sunley

Player of the Match – Lorne Bickley, honourable mentions for Fraser Barlow and Jonny Le Quesne

Added Time – 1.35 & 5.40 (7.15)