The winds of last week had subsided but the weather was still far from clement as Jersey took on 15th placed Camberley Town.

Camberley, formerly of the Isthmian League, joined the Combined Counties in 2006. Since when they have generally been amongst the top half dozen clubs. They were runners-up in both 2014 and 2015 and reached the F.A. Vase quarter-finals in 2016. However, the last three seasons have seen them in the bottom half of the table.

This season their young side went out of the F.A. Cup to Newhaven, who then lost to the Bulls. In the F.A. Vase they also fell at the first hurdle, going down to Long Crendon on “penalties”.

Jersey made just one change from their previous league match at Banstead, Jack Griffin coming in for James Queree, who was unavailable, with Luke Campbell taking over the captaincy. Ruben Mendes-Pestana and Calvin Weir, both returning from suspension were added to the substitutes. Gary Freeman, like Queree, was away, so Kevan Nelson was in charge.

The match began with a temperature of 9C but it was three degrees lower by the end. Rain showers in the first half turned to hail after the interval and made the playing conditions unpleasant in the later stages.

After winning the toss Camberley opted to change ends so the Bulls kicked off attacking the Robin Hood end. It took them just four minutes to take the lead with a move from one end of the pitch to the other. Luke Campbell on the edge of his own box found Jay Giles on the left side line. His long diagonal cross was headed forward by Lorne Bickley for Fraser Barlow to run on to. Barlow set himself and hit a cross shot in to the bottom left corner.

Bickley and then Barlow missed the target, the latter after an excellent move where he cut in from the right, beat two defenders but failed to curl his shot inside the far post.

Bickley doubled the lead on the half hour with an excellent individual goal. A Camberley clearance was nodded forward to Bickley on the half way line. With his back to the opposition goal he hooked the ball over his head and turned quickly to run on beyond the square defence. A further touch took him to the edge of the box where he applied the “coup de grace” to the bottom left corner.

Barlow spurned a further opportunity after being set up by Karl Hinds, but the half ended with the Bulls in control against the lowest scoring team in the division.
The second half opened just as the first burst of the heavier rain arrived.

Sol Solomon provided an opportunity for Trotter which was not taken and Solomon himself put a shot just wide left. It rebounded from the outside goal support and momentarily supporters cheered another “goal”.

Midway through the half the hail arrived and it seemed to work wonders for Camberley. Jacob Wheeler, an early second half substitute, pepped up their attack and a shot skidded across the face of the Jersey goal. With fifteen minutes left Wheeler reduced the arrears as he adroitly finished off a move when the ball fell to him following a cross from the right. Five minutes later he was well placed for an equaliser but shot over from ten yards.

Jersey supporters, fearing another Walton nightmare, had their anxieties soothed when Solomon restored the two-goal lead. Cutting in from the left he set himself on the left apex of the box and picked his spot with a shot in to the top left corner. Impressive to watch.
This knocked the stuffing out of the Camberley revival. Hinds shot straight at the ‘keeper when well placed and Trotter almost scored with a 40 yard attempt. Seeing Christian Paulat-Brigg towards the edge of his box Trotter almost lobbed him. The ‘keeper frantically back-peddling did very well to get back far enough to claw it away for a corner. Camberley were dead but would not lie down and in added time Euan Van der Vliet had to save with his legs from Adam Poynton.

Jersey Bulls 3 (Fraser Barlow 4, Lorne Bickley 30, Sol Solomon 81), Camberley Town 1 (Jacob Wheeler 75)
Attendance – 645

Programme – 28 pages, £2

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, Jack Griffin, Luke Campbell (c), Kamen Nafkha, Fraser Barlow, Adam Trotter, Lorne Bickley, Karl Hinds, Sol Solomon
Substitutes – Ruben Mendes-Pestana (for Barlow 85), Calvin Weir (not used), Kieran Lester (for Hinds 85), Jake Prince (for Bickley 66), Joe Kilshaw (for Nafkha 66)

Red/White/White; GK Green

Kevan Nelson (Manager), Dan Seviour (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach) Jim Robertson (Physio.)

Camberley Town – Christian Paulat-Brigg, Luke Benton, Aaron Burchett, Aaron Mead, Lyndon McGugon, Will Boye (c), Joshua Samuels, George Frise, Micah Hylton, Axel Kodjo, Adam Poynter
Substitutes – Luis Hamblin (for Kodjo 74), Ollie West (not used), Macauley Martin (for Samuels 74), Jacob Wheeler (for Hylton 54), Adam Melville GK (not used)

Luke Turkington (Manager), Lee Pollard (Assistant), Craig Green (Coach), Claire Benton (Physio.)

Royal Blue shirts (Yellow fronts), Royal Blue shorts (Yellow trim), Royal Blue socks; GK Grey (Black sleeves), Black Shorts, Black Socks

Referee – Chris Fernandes (Hayes), 11 years a referee, initially with the Hellenic League. His second visit to Springfield having been in the middle two seasons ago when Jersey beat Fleet Spurs in the League Cup. This was also a 3-1 home win.

Assistants – Tom Raffan (Maidenhead) 8 years a referee, originally with the Essex Senior League before moving from Southend this year, and Eric Strange (West Byfleet) a Combined Counties stalwart of over 20 years and who was on the line at Springfield two years ago for the match against Godalming.

Cautions – None for either side

Corners – Jersey Bulls (1) 4; Camberley Town (2) 3

Player of the Match Award (sponsors) – Fraser Barlow (JB)