Expectation was high for this top of the table clash. After the Bulls had won 3-0 at Bedfont & Feltham on 9th November their opponents league record read 4-2-6, subsequently it was 9-3-0 which had lifted them to third. 

The leagues leading scorer last season and this, Michael Capon, spearheaded their attack and he alone had scored 80 league and cup goals in that period. The Bulls welcomed back skipper James Queree from holiday whilst Zeljko Martinovic, Jonny Le Quesne and Daryl Wilson were all in the starting line up after being on the bench last week.

On a breezy afternoon Bedfont were prepared to take the game to the Bulls and harrying them when not in possession themselves. It proved effective and gave the Bulls less time on the ball than normal. However Bulls got the break they needed when a Karl Hinds shot deflected off a defenders back and wrong footed ‘keeper David Windmill who did very well to react quickly. He stuck out his right hand and parried the ball upwards only for Jonny Le Quesne to follow in and head it home before Windmill could recover.

Bedfont were often dangerous on the counter attack and midway through the half Kelvin Karanja brought the best out of Euan Van der Vliet. The ball rebounded off the ‘keepers legs to Capon but at a tricky height and his spectacular volley cleared the bar. Hinds later had a shot that drifted past the right post but there was little to choose between the teams at the interval after a well contested first half.

Just as they had at Bedfont the Bulls scored twice early on in the second half. Firstly Wilson was put clear down the right channel and his pass inside was met first time by Martinovic to prevent Windmill re-adjusting his position in time. On the hour the result at Bedfont was replicated when a corner was not cleared and Le Quesne managed to find Sol Solomon in a crowded box to scoop the ball home with Bedfont appealing for offside. This was the fifth successive match in which Solomon had scored, with a total of eight goals in those five games.

Between the two goals Bedfont had their best chance of the day when Queree and Luke Campbell hesitated near the centre circle letting Karanja dart between them and advance on Van der Vliet. The ‘keepers legs once again saved the day and although the ball was returned to Fortune Msamala at the far post he was offside before he laid it back for Noah Kibreab to “score” with a screamer from the edge of the box.

Harry Cardwell was brought on with twenty minutes to go and in that period he could have had a hat trick and Wilson another goal as Windmill performed heroics for Bedfont. When Cardwell did eventually “score” in added time he had strayed offside after being played in cleverly by another substitute Kamen Nafkha to leave the final score 3-0 after a much more comfortable second half for the Bulls than the first.

Jersey Bulls: Euan Van der Vliet, James Queree(c), Jay Giles, Jack Griffin, Luke Campbell, Adam Trotter, Zeljko Martinovic, Jonny Le Quesne, Daryl Wilson, Karl Hinds, Sol Solomon 

Substitutes: Kamen Nafkha for Le Quesne 63, Harry Cardwell for Solomon 70, Paul McCafferty (debut) for Griffin 84

Not Used: Fraser Barlow, Robbie Scott (GK)

Bedfont & Feltham: David Windmill, Ashley Hitchinson, Billy Nutbeam, Noah Kibreab, Charlie Dunckley, Jamie Pearce, Kelvin Karanja, Fortune Msamala, Michael Capon, Ross Nunn(c), Jae Kelly

Substitutes: Charles Collins for Msamala 61, Pete Davis for Kibreab 74, Tom Betts for Kelly 86

Not Used:Richard Bond, Gilmar Rodriguez-Galean

Officials: Joe Wright (Ash, Sy), Roger Wells (Coulsdon, Sy), Paul Maskell (Epsom, Sy)Cautions (4) / Sin Bins (0)

Noah Kibreab (B&F) 15, Billy Nutbeam (B&F) 68, Jae Kelly (B&F) and Zeljko Martinovic (JB) both 80

Corners: Jersey Bulls 9 (18, 37, 44, 45+1, 55, 56, 60, 83 & 90), Bedfont & Feltham 6 (2, 16, 29, 45+2, 58 & 85)

Goals: Jersey Bulls 3 (Jonny Le Quesne 14, Zeljko Martinovic 53, Sol Solomon 60), Bedfont & Feltham 0

Attendance: 671 (the highest since the top of the table clash v Farnham Town in November)

Man of the Match Award: Adam Trotter (for the second time)