Colliers Wood United finished a commendable 5^th last season, but with a complete overhaul of personnel, both management and players, had struggled this season and were propping up the table with a 3-4-18 23-56 record.

They had started well enough with an F.A. Cup win in a replay against Abbey Rangers and a league home draw, thanks to a penalty save, against Knaphill. But it was downhill thereafter with six successive league losses and elimination from the F.A. Cup, F.A. Vase and Combined Counties Premier Cup. Terry Savage, the Raynes Park Vale youth coach was appointed manager in early October and another complete overhaul of management and players took place. Jersey won 3-0 at Colliers Wood, near Wimbledon, in September but none of that squad remained. The new regime had brought wins at Balham and Tooting & Mitcham United but it was not until December 30^th that that they had won at home in the league.

Jersey made three changes to the side that won at Epsom & Ewell on Tuesday. Jonny Le Quesne returned after injury, James Carr was available again and Joe Kilshaw was brought into the starting line-up. Fraser Barlow and Luke Campbell moved to the bench and Fergus Boyle was assisting his local club side.

On a mild (11C) afternoon Colliers Wood kicked off attacking the Robin Hood end. In the first minute Coby Acquaye broke clear only for Harry Curtis to arrive too late with his tackle and Jersey were left to play the remaining 88 minutes a man short. Luke Watson dropped into the back four. The consequent free kick went only just wide.

Nevertheless, it was Jersey that took the lead. A long ball forward from Le Quesne found Bickley bursting between the two central defenders and deftly lifting the ball over the advancing Toby McKimm in the Colliers Wood goal. Ben Le Rougetel was brought on for Miguel Carvalho before the restart.

Colliers Wood had their chances before the interval with Acquaye and Liam Trevatt spurning opportunities, the second for Trevatt bringing an excellent save from Pierce Roche. At the other end Luke Watson set up Bickley to blast wide, Watson himself headed just wide and Nafkha looked certain to score his first Jersey goal only for him to give Toby McKimm the chance to pull off a save.

Jersey bolstered their defence at half time with Campbell replacing Francis Lekimamati but Colliers Wood continued to create chances with Roche doing well again to keep out a Benji Gambah header. Just after the hour Bickley scored his second. Carr floated a cross over the defence but Bickley’s initial shot was saved, however he recovered quickly and did well to head the rebound in.

A bout of pinball in the Colliers Wood goalmouth ended when Carr again set up Bickley who smashed the ball home from ten yards to complete his hat-trick and complete a victory that seemed unlikely after the early dismissal of Curtis.

Jersey Bulls 3 (Lorne Bickley 9, 63 & 78), Colliers Wood United 0

Attendance – 554

Programme – 32pp, £3.50

Jersey Bulls – Pierce Roche, Jonny Le Quesne, James Carr, James Queree (c), Harry Curtis, Joe Kilshaw, Francis Lekimamati, Kamen Nafkha, Lorne Bickley, Luke Watson, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 12. Fraser Barlow (for Kilshaw 77), 15. Ben Le Rougetel (for Carvalho 10), 16. Luke Campbell (for Lekimamati 46), 18. Ruben Mendes (not used), 19. Odinaka Nwokoro (for Bickley 81)

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 – Toby McKimm (vc), Elliott McKimm, Benji Gambrah, Henry Gunay, Tom Blampied (wore 19 in the second half after tearing shirt in the first), Jenson Allchurch, Aaron Moody (c), Kacper Nozka, Coby Acquaye, Liam Trevatt, Nicholas Solomon
Substitutes – 12. Charlie Sharpe (for E. McKimm 73), 14. Ashton Morris (for Allchurch 31), 15. Oliver Tully (for Gunay 73), 16. Josh Theobald (for Solomon 62), 17. Jonathan Hendrie (for Moody 73)

Blue(Black lower front)/Blue/Blue; GK All Light Green

Terry Savage (Manager), Anthony Maidment (Assistant), Warren Cook and Richard Acquaye (Coaches), Harry Vesey

Formations
Jersey Bulls (4-2-3-1 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-3; 6-8; 7-10-11; 9
Colliers Wood United (4-1-4-1 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-3; 7; 11-8-6-10; 9

Referee – Jake O. Symes (Putney) 26, qualified 2014. His fourth season with the Combined Counties, his first as a referee. On the line here last season v Abbey R.

Assistants – Jake Martin (Stanmore) on the dug outs side and Rohan Chotai (Wembley) on the grandstand side. Qualified from the same course in 2018, Martin in his third Combined Counties season, Chotai his first. Both on first Jersey game.

Cautions – Harry Curtis (JB) dismissed 2, Kamen Nafkha (JB) 32, Henry Gunay (CWU) 44, Lorne Bickley (JB) and Kacper Nozka (CWU) 60, James Carr (JB) 90+2

Corners – Jersey Bulls (2) 2, Colliers Wood United (1) 3

Player of the Match – Lorne Bickley

Added Time – 1.45 & 4.40 (6.25)