Jersey made their F.A. Trophy debut with fellow Isthmian South-East club Hastings United the visitors. They are due to return for the last match of the season. Hastings have started with a win, a draw and a loss in the league and the same in the F.A. Cup going out in a replay on Tuesday evening.

Jersey made three changes to their team with Euan Van der Vliet, James Carr and Fraser Barlow replacing Daniel Jinadu, Jack Lumsden and Adam Trotter. Jinadu was on the bench along with Toby Ritzema, Will Yates Luke Coutanche and, returning from injury, Lorne Bickley.

Hastings had Harry Earle and Freddie Legg returning from suspension. Skipper Bradley Barry was also back, and James Hull was tried up front. They replacedFinlay Holter, Johnny-Jay Walker, Callum Barlow and Charlie Ball. Walker and Barlow were amongst the substitutes with both sides including a Barlow and a Carvalho in their squads.

The first half was almost featureless. After quarter of an hour Fraser Barlow cutting inside rattled the bar from ten yards with a left foot shot and just after the half hour a Gil Carvalho cross from the left was met by Dean Gunner whose diving header flashed over. The first corner did not arrive until five minutes before the interval but a second arrived soon after. Rai Dos Santos took it and a glancing near post header from Barlow broke the deadlock. Yet another first to add to the Barlow collection.

Hastings came out firing after the break gaining all four of their corners in this period.Hull put a header wide, and Finley Chapman had a powerful rising shot pushed over by Van der Vliet. Hastings brought on a trio of substitutes as they searched for an equaliser but were rocked when the referee awarded Jersey a penalty when Earlewas deemed to have fouled Dos Santos. James Queree duly dispatched it bottom left, just eluding Earle’s dive.

Jersey wrapped it up two minutes later when James Carr broke up an attack and Dos Santos played a long ball down the left channel. It sat up nicely for Bickley to skilfully lob the onrushing Earle. Jack Lyons scored a deserved consolation for Hastings near the end when he cut in from the left and curled a left foot shot into the bottom left corner from twenty-two yards.

However, it was Jersey who once again finished on the winning side in the “Battle of Hastings” just as they had in 1066 when Jersey was part of the Duchy of Normandy.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jay Giles (wore 14), James Carr, James Queree (c), Jamie Watling, Luke Watson (wore 18), Fraser Barlow, Joe Kilshaw, Francis Lekimamati (wore 17), Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 6. Toby Ritzema (for Lekimamati 52), 9. Lorne Bickley (for Barlow 63), 13. Daniel Jinadu (sub GK, not used), 19. Luke Coutanche (for Carvalho 77), 20. Will Yates (for Kilshaw 77)

Red/White/Red: GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Dave Kennedy & Andy Dewhurst (Coaches), Richard Hebert (GK Coach), Ben Smith (Medical)

Hastings United – Harley Earle, Joe Clifford, Charlie Paye, Dean Gunner, Freddie Legg, Bradley Barry (c), Dadigildo “Gil” Carvalho, Charlie Scarles, James Hull, Finley Chapman, Jack Lyons
Substitutes – 12. Johnny-Jay “J.J.” Walker (for Carvalho 67), 14. George Taggart (for Legg 67), 16. Callum Barlow (for Clifford 75), 16. Daniel Hull (not used), 17. Jamal Lubanga (for Scarles 71)

All Sky Blue; GK All Mint Green

Lee Carey (Manager), Jonny Ellwood (Assistant Manager), Joshua Wheeler (Coach), Clark Masters (GK Coach), Bobby-Jay Deegan (Medical)

Formations (R to L)

Jersey Bulls (4-4-2) 1; 4-5-14-3; 17-8-18-11; 7-10

Hastings United (4-4-2) 1; 5-3-4-2; 11-6-8-10; 9-7

Officials – Jake A. Woodman (Hawkhurst, Tunbridge Wells), Nathaniel G. Roff (Hove) (dug outs), David J. London (Ash, Aldershot) (grandstand)

Caution(s) – Toby Ritzema (JB) 60

Corners – Jersey Bulls (2) 3; Hastings United (0) 4

Assist(s) – Rai Dos Santos (all three)

Player of the Match – Rai Dos Santos

Added Time – 1.20 & 3.55 (5.15)