Jersey welcomed Colliers Wood United to Springfield for the first time. Last seasons “home” match had been played at Three Bridges, near Crawley. That ended in a 1-1 draw. Jersey had visited Colliers Wood twice earlier in the season, gaining a 1-0 win in the league but going down 2-5 in the League Cup. Last season Colliers Wood finished 13th but this season are 6^th, with games in hand on Knaphill in 5^th, with a record of 16-2-10 63-43

Jersey made three changes to their starting team that had won at Croydon on Tuesday. Lorne Bickley, back from suspension, Frank Tobin and Sammy Henia-Kamau stepping in for Francis Lekimamati, Jonny Le Quesne and Robert Martins-Figueira all on “national” duty in Alderney for the Muratti Vase semi-final. Numerous other fringe players were also in the team in Alderney which left the bench with a number of “occasional” Bulls players.

On a cloudy (12C) afternoon with a strong westerly breeze Jersey kicked off attacking the Town end.

They almost scored after 12 seconds with their first attack. Tobin blocked a clearance from ‘keeper Joshua Barnett and the ball fell to Fraser Barlow who hit a first time volley from 25 yards that clipped the top of Barnett’s bar.

Just after the quarter hour Colliers Wood gained their first corner and Tobin’s header at the back post brought a sharp save out of his own ‘keeper, Euan Van der Vliet, to save the defenders blushes.

Henia-Kamau shot weakly at Barnett, Bickley had another deflect off defender Jay Dunstan-Digweed that took enough of the sting out of the shot for Barnett to recover his position and before the half hour Barlow shot straight at the ‘keeper.

The breakthrough came shortly afterwards. A long ball forward from Jay Giles down the left channel was perfectly weighted for Bickley to run on to and the striker quickly assessed the situation and hit it first time into the bottom right corner. He made it look remarkably easy.

Colliers Wood had a chance to bring matters level just before the interval. A defence splitting pass from halfway by Billy Oram was perfect for Aaron Jenkins to run on to but Van der Vliet loomed large on the edge of the box and blocked the shot.

Jersey started the second half as they had the first. Van der Vliet saw Barnett off his line and put a 60 yard free-kick just over the bar. Five minutes later Bickley scored his second. Interplay between Tobin and Barlow on the right wing fed the ball into the box where Jack Boyle and Barlow played a 1-2 twice before Bickley shot home with the visiting defenders appealing for offside. It was the last significant action of the game which saw plenty of good football but little goalmouth action.

Jersey Bulls 2 (Lorne Bickley 36 & 50), Colliers Wood United 0

Attendance – 555; Programme – 32pp, £2

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Frank Tobin (wore 12), Jay Giles, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Kamen Nafkha, Fraser Barlow, Luke Watson, Fraser Barlow, Lorne Bickley (wore 16), Jack Boyle, Sammy Henia-Kamau
Substitutes – 14. Harry Curtis (for Tobin 66), 15. Kieren Stephens (for Boyle 73), Leandro Vieira (for Nafkha 83), 18. Harry Scott (for Barlow 60), 23. Darryl Mvalo (for Henia-Kamau 85)

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

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

Colliers Wood United – Joshua Barnett, Jonathan Gjoshe, Ali Fafanah, Tijani Eshilokun, Jay Dunstan-Digweed, Harry Pointing, Shaike Kamara (wore 17), Billy Oram, William Kendall (c), Kieran Campbell, Aaron Jenkins
Substitutes – 12. Ryan Dacres-Smith (for Gjoshe 77), 14. Chester Clothier (for Kamara 69), 15. Kiyo Brown (for Campbell 69), 16. Callum Wilson (for Oram 77), 17. (wore 7) Jamie De Cruz (player/manager) (not used)

Royal Blue & Black Wide Stripes at front, All Royal Blue at back/Black/Royal Blue; GK All Orange

Jamie De Cruz (Manager), Charlie Anderson (Assistant), Craig Stephens (Coach), Dan Antonio (Coach), Jason Tayki (Physio.)

Formations
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1 R to L) 1; 12-4-5-3; 6; 9-8-10-11; 16

Colliers Wood United (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-6-5-3; 10-4-8-11: 17-9

Referee – Benjamin M. “Ben” Maskery (Sunbury) aged 20 qualified at 14, initially with the Surrey Leagues and now in his third season with the Combined Counties League, his first Jersey match.

Assistants – Matthew “Matt” Funnell (Camberley) on the dug outs side. On the line earlier in the season at Alton, son of Barrie on the line at Fleet Town last season.

Qualified 7 years ago and in his fifth season with the Combined Counties League. Wayne Ingram (New Malden) on the grandstand side. Qualified in 1997 and after six years with the Surrey Leagues has been with the Combined Counties since 2003. On the line three times last season, at Colliers Wood United in the League Cup and then at Knaphill before visiting Springfield for the match against Molesey in April.

Cautions – None for either side

Corners – Jersey Bulls (1) 1, Colliers Wood United (1) 5

Player of the Match Award – Lorne Bickley