In the last home fixture of the year Jersey hosted mid table Alton who had been transferred from the Northern section at the end of the previous season. It was therefore their first meeting and was the only match in the division not to be postponed due to the week-long frosty conditions on the mainland. Alton were lying 13^th in the division with a record of 5-4-9 23-32.

Jersey rotated five players. Pierce Roche, James Queree, Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley and Jonny Le Quesne started in place of Euan Van der Vliet, Frank Tobin, Ben Le Rougetel, Sammy Henia-Kamau and Francis Lekimamati respectively. The displaced were all substitutes except for the holidaying Tobin whose spot went to Jack Steel. For Van der Vliet it was his first experience of being on the bench.

On another sunny but cold (2C) afternoon Jersey kicked-off attacking the Town End.
There was little to warm the supporters in the first half as the well organised side from North Hampshire limited home opportunities. Jersey did not create very much and their dogged opponents were happy to soak up the pressure.

The best chance fell to Bickley on the quarter hour but, set up by Joe Kilshaw, his shot hit the legs of the headbanded ‘keeper Kieran Greene and it was Greene who comfortably saved another Bickley shot in the penultimate minute of the period.

After the interval Le Quesne and Miguel Carvalho swapped flanks as Jersey began to wear down Alton and midway through the half they added to their attacking options with Sammy Henia-Kamau coming on for Kilshaw.

Greene used a leg to save from Bickley again and then tipped over an effort from Jake Prince before Le Quesne also had a shot saved with twenty minutes to go.
Captain Queree was the next to be thwarted by Greene as his volley from eight yards was bravely saved by the onrushing ‘keeper.

It took a defensive error to break the deadlock. Henia-Kamau attempted the second half of a 1-2 with Bickley. Billy Wright miscontrolled his interception and Bickley was quickly on to the loose ball and put in a successful low cross shot in to the bottom right corner before captain Oli Graham could put in a saving tackle.

Five minutes later Bickley scored again. A Jamie Phillips throw was volleyed back by Jay Giles to Bickley who turned Wright and Graham and then burst between Phillips and Graham to score from the same spot, and in similar fashion, to his earlier effort.

In the second added minute Jake Prince almost made it three. From the left angle of the box he lobbed the advancing Greene but by giving it height he lost pace and Graham was able to run back and hook the bouncing ball off the line.

The win lifted Jersey past two inactive rivals to put them in to fifth position.

Jersey Bulls 2 (Lorne Bickley 75 & 80)
Alton 0

Attendance – 480

Programme – 24pp £2

Jersey Bulls – Pierce Roche, James Queree (c), Jay Giles, Sammy Sutcliffe, Luke Campbell, Joe Kilshaw, Miguel Carvalho, Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley (wore 16), Jonny Le Quesne, Jake Prince
Substitutes – 12. Ben Le Rougetel (for Carvalho 88), Jack Steel (not used), Francis Lekimamati (for Bickley 88), 18. Sammy Henia-Kamau (for Kilshaw 65) 20. Euan Van der Vliet (sub GK) (not used)

Red/White/Red; GK All Green

Gary Freeman (Manager), Kevan Nelson (Assistant), Dan Seviour (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach), Steve Martin (Physio.)

Alton – Kieran Greene, Jamie Phillips, Matt Graham (wore 16), Billy Wright, Oli Graham (c), Owen Lumsden, Richie Hunter, Matt Benham, Scott Sanderson, Oli Page (wore 18), Liam Knight
Substitutes – 10. Leigh Keddle (not used), 12. Tommy Reffell (for Phillips 83), 14. Steve Black (for Hunter 79), 15. Archie Larkham (for Lumsden 68), 21. Lewis Mees (sub GK) (not used)

White (Black sleeves)/Black/Black; GK All Yellow

Kevin Adair (Manager), Leigh Keddle (Assistant), Graham Purser (Coach), Rosie Miron (Physio.)

Formations
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-3; 6; 7-8-10-11; 16
Alton (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-4-5-16; 7-6-8-11; 9-18

Referee – Daniel C. Trout (Leatherhead) his first Jersey match. A 6’ 7” 27-year-old who has been refereeing for nine seasons. Working his way up through the Surrey leagues he is in his third season with the Combined Counties League. He has been identified by the F.A. as having “potential” and is therefore a member of their C.O.R.E. system. This is the F.A. Centre of Refereeing Excellence structure to provide younger referees with training, education and development opportunities.

Assistants – Gareth Walker (Jersey) patrolling the dug outs side and Richard Dyer (Jersey) on the grandstand side

Cautions – Owen Lumsden (A) 26, Scott Sanderson (A) 82

Corners – Jersey Bulls (0) 5, Alton (1) 2

Player of the Match Award – Lorne Bickley