Jersey met Chipstead for the first time after their relegation from the Isthmian League last season. Members of the Combined Counties League from 1986-2007 when they were promoted as champions, they then spent 17 seasons at the higher level but never finished higher than 10th. They are struggling again this season lying 16th with a record of 4-1-8 19-36. They have also been knocked out of the F.A. Cup, F.A. Vase and Combined Counties Cup. After their defeat at Tooting and Mitcham United two weeks ago their manager, Justin Fevrier, resigned after their seventh defeat in nine games. Vice Chairman, Tony Stone, has temporarily taken over team affairs and he started with a win against Sheerwater last week,

Jersey had the luxury of making three changes, plus a positional one, after three unchanged line ups. Will Byers was available so moved in to the back four which released Joe Kilshaw to replace the suspended Toby Ritzema in midfield. Harry Curtis and Jonny Le Quesne both returned after injuries, displacing Sammy Sutcliffe and the injured Jack Boyle respectively. Seaney McColgan was the only “constant” on the bench where he was joined by four other relative youngsters.

Despite their win last week Chipstead also made changes: Filip Chalupniczakreplaced Finley Davenport in goal, captain Rob Sheridan and Enrique Tiamuna both returned and Cameron Lewis-Brown and “man mountain” Melford Simpson were both elevated from the bench.

Chipstead evidently came with a plan to defend with often ten men behind the ball.
Therefore, the match was largely played in the Chipstead half with Euan Van der Vliert not having a significant save to make. However, Jersey nearly upset these plans in the opening minute when the ball pinged around the visitor’s box following an early corner. The pressure was eventually relieved when Simpson headed the fourth Jersey attempt off the line.

After that chances were rare. Miguel Carvalho brought a diving save out of Chalupniczak after half an hour and the ‘keeper pulled off a good block from a Le Quesne header seven minutes later. However, as the interval approached Jake Hill broke out of defence only to be dispossessed by Kilshaw on the half way line. The latter quickly fed Karl Hinds who looked up and saw Chalupniczak seven yards off his line. The subsequent chip had just enough on it to beat the leaping ‘keeper who got a glove on it but could not keep it out.

Hinds was injured early in the second half so Rai Dos Santos took on his role with Carvalho swapping sides and substitute James Carr running the right flank. Another corner led to the second goal. Dos Santos took it from the left and found an unchallenged Luke Watson at the far post and his downward header from six yards wrapped up the points. Hill was sin binned for protesting about the goal although it was not apparent why. Shortly afterwards Carr broke through on a counter attack from a rare Chipstead corner but from twenty yards only found Chalupniczak.

Without creating much more against the massed defence Jersey kept a seventhsuccessive clean sheet and moved above Knaphill on goal difference after they went down at second placed A.F.C. Whyteleafe. Knaphill visit Springfield next Saturday.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Will Byers, Fraser Barlow, James Queree (c), Harry Curtis, Luke Watson, Rai Dos Santos, Joe Kilshaw, Karl Hinds (wore 20), Jonny Le Quesne, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 12. Connor Lloyd (for Byers 81), 14. Seaney McColgan (for Carvalho 74), 15. James Carr (for Hinds 55), 17. Tomas Goncalves (for Kilshaw 88), 21. Harry Gladdish (sub GK, not used)

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton, Adam Lester and Andy Dewhurst (Coaches), Karl Benest (Kit), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst), Steve Martin (Medical)

Chipstead – Filip Chalupniczak, Evan Kelly, Aaron Lamont, Jake Hill, Rob Sheridan (c), Emmanuel Robe (wore 14), Cameron Lewis-Brown, Tijani Eshilokun, Ben Jordan, Melford Simpson, Enrique Tiamuna

Substitutes – 6. Archie Alexander (for Eshilokun 72), 12. Finley Davenport (sub GK, not used), 15. Elijah Hopwood (not used), 16. Tequaniel Palmer (for Simpson 75), only four substitutes

Green & White Hoops with White Upper Backs/Green/Green; GK All Orange

Tony Stone (Manager), Jackson Broon (Kit), Tiffany Jones (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-5-4-3; 6; 11-10-8-7; 20
Chipstead (5-4-1) 1; 2-7-5-4-3; 14-9-8-11; 10

Match Officials – Ian James Lane (Lancing), Mark Roberts (Reading) dug outs side, and James Mark Field (Yateley) grandstand side

Cautions – Jake Hill (C), sin bin 69 (dissent to senior assistant referee re 2nd goal)

Corners – Jersey Bulls (4) 8; Chipstead (1) 3

Assists – Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos

Player of the Match – Luke Watson

Added Time – 3.25 & 3.50 (7.15)