For the final Manchester, now in their Newton Heath colours, made just two changes to their starting line up with Regan Linney and Harry McGee joining Max McCarthy up front. In contrast Jersey made six personnel changes and another positional one as they lined up in their seemingly unlucky black and white halved shirts with a relatively inexperienced defensive quartet.

Manchester kicked off attacking the Robin Hood end and the potent Northern front three were soon making inroads into the home defence. They were awarded a penalty after just six minutes when Joe Kilshaw brought down McCarthy. Skipper Charlie Ennis took the kick but Euan Van der Vliet dived to his right and saved it with his legs.

Another six minutes and another penalty was awarded when Jonny Le Quesne brought down Linney just inside the box. Ennis again stepped up and went to his left again with Van der Vliet going the wrong way this time.

It was soon a two goal margin when an excellent first time through ball from Ennis put Linney clear down the right channel. Having advanced to the six yard line and drawn Van der Vliet he played the ball inside for McCarthy to finish off the sweeping move.

Just before the half hour the front three combined for a third. McCarthy flicked the ball on for Linney who took it to the left byline before pulling it back for McGee to force home despite the best efforts of Van der Vliet. Within minutes McGee had his second. Put clear down the centre he rounded Van der Vliet on the edge of the box and rolled home Manchester’s fourth.

Jersey pulled one back shortly afterwards when Lorne Bickley was brought down by Josh Askew in the box. Ruben Mendes despatched the penalty low left to just elude Dan Lavercombe’s dive. McCarthy immediately responded to bring a good save from Van der Vliet before Jake Prince was set up by Francis Lekimamati three minutes before half time, but he could not keep his balance and lifted his shot over the bar.

After the hour Linney scored a superb fifth for Manchester. A raking forward pass from Ennis found Linney galloping goalward down the left channel and an excellent first touch put him clear of the tracking Le Quesne and gave him the time to pick his spot past the home ‘keeper.

Lekimamati stretched Lavercombe with a curling cross shot before McGee completed his hat-trick. Linney had a shot well saved by Van der Vliet but McGee seized upon the rebound, evaded Sammy Sutcliffe as he dived in, and rifled the ball in to top right corner of the net.

In the last ten minutes substitute Darryl Mvalo put a volley narrowly wide and Jake Prince’s shot from twenty yards had to be pushed over by Lavercombe but it was F.C.United of Manchester who ran out convincing winners of the inaugural Bulls Cup.

Jersey Bulls 1 (Ruben Mendes pen 35);

F.C. United of Manchester 6 (Charlie Ennis pen 12, Max McCarthy 18, Harry McGee 29, 32 & 77, Regan Linney 63)

Attendance – 333

Programme – covering all four matches, 32pp, £2

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet (wore 21), Jonny Le Quesne, Josh Coutanche, Jack Lumsden, Harry Curtis, Joe Kilshaw, Francis Lekimamati, Adam Trotter (c), Lorne Bickley (wore 16), Ruben Mendes, Jake Prince (wore 20)

Substitutes – 9. Darryl Mvalo (for Lekimamati 71), 12. Sammy Sutcliffe (for Lumsden 46), 14. Sol Solomon (for Bickley 46), 15. Kieren Stephens (for Mendes 67), 17. John Lloyd (for Coutanche 76), 18. Frank Tobin (not used), 19. Max Thompson (not used), 21 Richard Hebert (GK not used)

Note – Pierce Roche and James Carr who played on Saturday were not nominated for this match.

Black & White Halves / Black/ White; GK All Green

Gary Freeman (Manager), Kevan Nelson (Assistant), Dan Seviour (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach)

F.C. United of Manchester – Dan Lavercombe (wore 13), Clive Smith, Josh Askew, Tom Murray, Jan Palinkas, Curtis Jones, Alex Wollerton, Charlie Ennis (c), Regan Linney, Harry McGee, Max McCarthy.

Substitutes – 12. Guy Hall (for Askew 64), 14. Adam Poole (for Smith 74), 15. Will Unsworth (not used), 16. Toby Humphries (for McCarthy 64), 17. Jack Bennett (for McGee 79)
Note – Jack Anderton and Edy Maceio who played on Saturday were not nominated for this match.

Yellow/Green/Yellow; GK All Grey

Neil Reynolds (Manager), Jimmy Deadman (Kit), Olivia Smith (Physio.), Joe Winskill (Kit Assistant), Nigel Brookes (Junior Kit).

Formations
Jersey Bulls (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-3; 7-6-8-10; 16-20
F.C. United of Manchester (4-3-3 R to L) 1; 2-5-6-3; 7-8-4; 9-11-10

Referee – Callum Peter (Guildford)

Assistants – Harry Walker (Jersey) on the dug-out side and Andy Norman (Jersey) on the grandstand side.

Drinks breaks (31C) – 22 and 68 minutes

Cautions – None

Corners – Jersey Bulls (2) 4, F.C. United of Manchester (1) 4

Player of the Match Award – Harry McGee (Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet)

Player of the Tournament – also Harry McGee (F.C. United of Manchester)
although his teammates Max McCarthy and Charlie Ennis were strong contenders

Trophy Presentation – Louise McNamee (Business Development Manager of the sponsors, Grant Thornton) assisted by Richard Horswell (Jersey Bulls C.E.O.). Trophy to the winning team, medals to the winning squad, mementoes to both U.K. referees and both local linesmen in the final