Jersey looked to bounce back from their dropping of home points last week with another home fixture, this time against Guildford City. Guildford were lying 11th but with games in hand on the three teams immediately above them.
The original Guildford City folded in 1976 but another arose 30 years later and joined the Combined Counties League. Two successive titles in 2011 and 2012 saw them promoted to the Southern League but the second season there saw them relegated back. Since when they have generally been a lower mid table club but still one of the better supported teams in the division.
This season they went out of the F.A. Cup to Walton & Hersham, just as they had in the F.A. Vase last season. However, they gained revenge the following week by inflicting Walton’s only defeat so far this season in a 4-3 thriller. Since then, they have changed manager and Tristan Rees is now in charge. He has overseen four wins and two draws including a 4-0 Vase victory over Shoreham. Next week they travel to Flackwell Heath for the Second Round.
The match was preceded by remembering the fallen of two World Wars. The teams were led out by a bugler and military veterans. This was followed by a wreath laying ceremony, the playing of The Last Post, and a two minutes silence, impeccably observed.
Jersey made three changes from last week. Kamen Nafkha was ill and was replaced by Calvin Weir who had been on the bench v Walton & Hersham. Weir’s place was taken by Jake Prince, returning after a hamstring tweak. Substitute goalkeeper, Luke Duncan, was also on the bench, instead of Daryl Wilson. Ruben Mendes-Pestana was sitting out the second of his three-match suspension.

The three “mainland” officials missed their flight and so three local officials were hastily assembled. The 5.15 start enabled those who had already been “in action” earlier in the afternoon to be mustered. The referee had played in goal for his veterans’ team whilst his two assistants had refereed matches.

The 14C temperature was the same as last week but had a much colder feel. Fortunately, there was little wind.

After a very early caution for Fraser Barlow, there was little goalmouth action until Lorne Bickley had three chances in as many minutes just before the midpoint of the half. The first arose when Adam Trotter played in Jonny Le Quesne down the right and his cross to the far post was headed over. The second saw a long ball forward from Le Quesne find Bickley. He ran clear but Michael McEntegart saved at his feet and recovered quickly enough to beat Sol Solomon to the loose ball. It was to prove third time lucky when an inch perfect low pass from the right by Le Quesne was swept home to give Jersey the lead.
With Solomon briefly off the field, a Jay Giles twenty-five yard free kick hit the base of the right post and go out for a goal kick before an appeal for a penalty, when Barlow was brought down, fell on deaf ears.
Guildford responded with a Jordan Adeyemi shot that Euan Van der Vliet saved to his left. The next minute Nathaniel Mensah had a twenty-yard shot deflected to which Van der Vliet did well to re-adjust, at the expense of a corner.
The second half started with Guildford’s Omar Folkes eight-yard shot being blocked. He was to be injured ten minutes later and replaced by Josh Everard. Guildford were looking far more dangerous after the interval but failed to make the most of their opportunities. With twenty minutes left a defensive error let in Adeyemi, whose shot hit the right post. Barlow responded with a header over the bar which was his last action before being substituted by Prince.
Guildford captain, Antonio Simeone, was cautioned but five minutes later grazed the left post from close in. The visitors were looking the more likely to score but with a dozen minutes left Weir cut out a ball in midfield and gave Prince a shooting chance. His shot was partially blocked but Solomon nipped in to control the heavily spinning ball. He showed great composure to turn “on a sixpence”, round McEntegart, and tap home for his twentieth goal of the season to give Jersey a two-goal cushion.
This was successfully defended this week without any “scares” although Weir picked up two cautions, the first very harsh, in the last few minutes to become the second Bull dismissed in three matches. Nevertheless, after three successive draws it was vital to return to winning ways against difficult opponents.
Jersey Bulls 2 (Lorne Bickley 22, Sol Solomon 78), Guildford City 0

Attendance – 724

Programme – 28 pages, £2

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Joe Kilshaw, Fraser Barlow, Calvin Weir, Lorne Bickley, Adam Trotter, Sol Solomon
Substitutes – Jack Griffin (not used), Kieran Lester (for Bickley 82), Karl Hinds (not used), Jake Prince (for Barlow 72), Luke Duncan (GK, not used)

Red/White/White; GK Green

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

Guildford City – Michael McEntegart, Kyrell Palmer, Ethan Nelson-Roberts, Bertie Lloyd, Antonio Simeone (c), Prince Mbengui, Max Oldham, Mike Coppinger, Nathaniel Mensah, Omar Folkes, Jordan Adeyemi
Substitutes – Campbell Scott (not used), James Glover (not used), Josh Everard (for Folkes 60), Luke Roberts (not used), Chris Adams (GK, not used)

Tristan Rees (Manager), Koo Dumbuya (Coach), Chris Adams (Player/Coach), Tiffany Weedon (Sports Therapist)

Yellow shirts (Blue trim across shoulders), Royal Blue shorts (Yellow trim), Royal Blue socks; GK Orange

Referee – Richard Dyer (Jersey), replacing Derek Laing (Lightwater)

Assistants – Luke Nerac (Jersey) and Paulo Franco (Jersey), replacing Gareth Mays (Tadworth) & Aiden Farrelly (Edgware)

Cautions – Barlow (JB) 1, Coppinger (GC) 31, Mbengui (GC) 36, Simeone (GC) 71, Kilshaw (JB) 75, Weir (JB) 86 & 90

Dismissal – Weir (JB) 90 (second caution)

Corners – Jersey Bulls (1) 1; Guildford City (3) 5

Player of the Match Award (committee) – Euan Van der Vliet (JB)