Jersey entertained play-off chasing Fleet Town. In 5th place and seemingly assured of finishing there they have had a blip recently losing their last three matches and their record now stands at 18-7-6 57-33 with Jersey having won 4-1 at Fleet in late December. Since then Fleet also reached the last sixteen of the F.A. Vase.

Jersey were short staffed as holidays and injuries were coupled with the match clashing with the semi-final of the Muratti Vase. Sammy Sutcliffe, Keiran Lester, Fergus Boyle and Seaney McColgan were all in Alderney, James Queree and Luke Campbell were on holiday and both Harry Curtis and Rai Dos Santos were out injured for the remainder of the season. Jay Giles and Paul McKay both passed late fitness tests but were kept on the bench.

Toby Ritzema returned from suspension to take on centre back duties for the firsttime alongside him was James Carr as the back four was so depleted. Fraser Barlow also reverted to defensive duties. Up front Lorne Bickley started for only the second time since early October and still looking for the two goals needed to complete his century for the Bulls. Kurtis Guthrie moved out to the left to accommodate him. Adam Trotter was on the bench along with Giles, McKay, youngster Will Yates and reserve goalkeeper Harry Gladdish.

Fleet Town saw Liam Pestle, Kwesi Ntim and Luke Phair all step up from the bench with Pestle and taking over the captaincy. Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb also returned to the starting line up as Rob Sheridan, Dean Rule, Ryan Case and Luke Kandi made way for them with only Case of those appearing on the bench.

Fleet suffered an early setback when Tane Caubo needed lengthy treatment after a clash of heads. He resumed but was eventually replaced midway through the half by which time Jersey were two up. Both were scored by Ritzema with both assists coming from Guthrie and both the “assist assists” from Barlow.

The first came from a corner won by Bickley on the left. Guthrie in the centre laid it off to his left where Ritzema did very well to switch it on his left foot and arrow in a powerful diagonal shot from ten yards. Six minutes Barlow launched a diagonal free kick on the left from the halfway line which looked to be going out for a goal kick. Guthrie did well to hook it back towards the penalty spot where Ritzema, storming in,directed it into the top left corner.

On the half hour Barlow almost added a third. Guthrie chipped a corner back to him just inside the left angle of the box. He did well to keep his shot down as he left rip towards the top left corner but Finley Purcell managed to push it away for a corner.

Just before half-time Miguel Carvalho put Bickley through but Fleet skipper Liam Pestle got across to deflect his shot which then just missed Purcell’s left post. Fleet came nearest to a goal in added time when Luke Phair played a one-two with Leo De Caubo before unleashing a powerful shot from the edge of the box which left Euan Van der Vliet flat footed before it flashed wide of the left post.

Jersey wrapped up the match soon after the interval. Miguel Carvalho jinked around on the right before floating a left foot cross to the far post where Bickley rose above Ross Stepney to head into the roof of the net from five yards for his first goal since September.

A strong penalty appeal when Karl Hinds was felled was waved away and Bickley mishit his shot when well placed for his hundredth goal before Hinds put an attempted twenty-five lob just over the bar when he spotted Purcell off his line.

The fourth goal duly arrived with a quarter of an hour left. Jonny Le Quesne hit a diagonal cross from the right flank and Bickley in a similar position to where he scored the third headed home again to bring up his century in his 131st match.

Fleet had a sight of goal with ten minutes to go but substitute Ryan Case blasted high and wide from the edge of the box. Jersey retaliated with Barlow, after a mazy run, setting up Hinds but he placed his cross shot just wide of the left post. Jersey ended a dominant performance with Bickley also putting over a lob when spotting Purcell away from his home again.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne (c), Fraser Barlow, James Carr, Toby Ritzema, Luke Watson, Karl Hinds (wore 20), Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Kurtis Guthrie (wore 16), Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 10. Adam Trotter (for Watson 80), 15. Jay Giles (not used), 17. Will Yates (for Carvalho 80), 18. Paul McKay (not used), 21. Harry Gladdish (sub GK) (not used)

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Andy Dewhurst (Coach), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst), Karl Benest (Kit), Steve Martin (Medical), Sonny Cassidy (Squad Member)

Fleet Town – Finley Purcell, Nick Medcraft, Tom Smith, Josh Stepney, Liam Pestle (c), Ross Stepney, Leo De Cabo, Luke Phair (wore 17), Tane Caubo, Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb (wore 14), Kwesi Ntim

Substitutes – 8. Matt Surmon (for Phair 63), 12. Josh Pound (for Medcraft 90), 15. Brad Manning (not used), 16. Sam Ilesanmi (for Caubo 23), 18. Ryan Case (for Ntim 63)

Sky Blue with Navy Blue shoulders & sleeves/Navy Blue/Navy Blue; GK All Light Green

Luke Turkington (Manager), Lee Pollard and Andy Sharratt (Assistants), Craig Green (Coach), Marcus Ball (Medical)

Formations (R to L)

Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 12-5-4-3; 6; 11-8-20-16; 9
Fleet Town (4-4-2) 1; 3-5-6-2; 7-17-4-6; 11-9

Match Officials – Ethan T. Stacey (Reading) 28. His eighth season, four with the Hellenic League and now in his fourth with the Combined Counties. Previously here as an assistant for the Camberley match in February 2023, then in the middle in January 2024 v Redhill which was a dramatic goalless draw. It saw Pierce Roche dismissed in the 90th minute and Luke Watson going between the sticks for the eighteen additional minutes.

Bailey J. Wood (Gerrards Cross) on the dug outs side. His tenth season, initially with the Hellenic League, then three seasons with the Southern Combination whilst at university and now in his fourth season with the Combined Counties. Previously at Springfield a year ago for the dramatic draw against Farnham Town.

Nikola C. Christov (Islington) on the grandstand side. Bulgarian heritage, qualified 2021, fourth season with Combined Counties League, first Jersey Bulls fixture

Cautions – Luke Watson (JB) 41, Ross Stepney (FT) 45+1, Toby Ritzema (JB) 47, Luke Phair (FT) 58, Darryl Evans (FT manager) 64, Nick Medcraft (FT) 89

Corners – Jersey Bulls (5) 6; Fleet Town (1) 2

Assist(s) – Kurtis Guthrie 1st & 2nd, Miguel Carvalho 3rd & 4th

Player of the Match – Toby Ritzema

Added Time – 7.10 & 6.20 (13.30)