This was Jersey’s third successive home fixture as they entertained Herne Bay whom they beat 4-0 in late September when they visited North Kent. Herne Bay are currently 8th with a 10-5-7 39-35 record with three successive 1-1 draws before today. The last of those was against rock bottom club East Grinstead Town on Saturday when they needed a late penalty to draw level with their ten men opponents.

Jersey made two changes to their squad with Toby Ritzema and Luke Coutanche replacing Jamie Watling and Rai Dos Santos, who were both unavailable. Both Ritzema and Coutanche were made substitutes. The starting line up saw skipper James Queree come into the central defence in place of Watling and Francis Lekimamati swap roles with Miguel Carvalho who was on the bench. Herne Bay swapped Louie Procopi and Bode Anidugbe in for Alfie Cutbush and Matt Holness who became substitutes.

A match of fine margins where some vital decisions did not go Jersey’s way but Herne Bay could argue they might have won by more. The match started busily. Lekimamati put in an early low cross which James Sunley was prevented from finishing before Bode Anidugbe stretched Pierce Roche with a twenty five yard free kick. Queree put in a saving tackle on Steven Townsend before the first contentious decision. Townsend burst through on the right, evaded Queree’s tackle and hooked the ball back from just beyond the right byline. Jonny Le Quesne attempting to stop it reaching Gil Carvalho deflected it into his own net. The defenders pleaded with the referee to consult his assistant, which he did, but the assistant stated that he was unsighted.

Ten minutes later Lekimamati’s cross from the right was volleyed back across goal by Bickley. Just after the half hour Jay Giles, who had taken a nasty knock to head, put in a low cross from the left which just eluded Lekimamati and Bickley as they slid in looking for the equaliser. The game came to life again as half time approached with three excellent chances for an equaliser. Le Quesne played in Bickley down the right channel only for his shot to be pushed away with an excellent save from Freddie Norman. From the subsequent corner Luke Campbell at the far post put in a powerful header which captain Joseph Tyrie moving backwards managed to head off the line. With Tyrie ending up in the back of the net many felt he must have been 2 / 3behind the line when he made the interception, but replays showed the officials made the correct decision. In added time another Giles cross from the left was volleyed by Lekimamati at the far post back across the goal and just wide of the left post in the final action of the opening half.

The injured Giles was replaced at half time by James Carr, the first of four Jersey made in twenty-five minutes as they tried to find a way through the Herne Bay defence. But it was at other end where the visitors had a string of chances. Le Quesne put in a saving tackle as Gil Carvalho was about to “pull the trigger”. Carr headed back to Roche only for the ‘keeper to slip over as Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo closed him down. The ball spun up and the attacker headed over the ‘keeper but Queree was covering and cleared from the goal line. Roche dived at the feet of the same attacker shortly afterwards, but the ball continued goalwards only for Queree to mop up again. In between the last two incidents Jersey had had a corner on the left which James Sunley passed short to Miguel Carvalho and his cross cleared Norman, grazed the Herne Bay bar, before being cleared on the right.

Jersey eventually drew level with a move similar to the one Norman saved just before the interval. Adam Trotter found Le Quesne whose pass to Bickley was rifled low to the bottom right corner off Norman’s hands with the power and precision of the shot proving too much for the ‘keeper. Parity only remained for three minutes. Herne Bay gained their first corner of the half. Rhys Wyborn took it on the left and Roche tumbled over Townsend in the middle before Joe Alatise rose at the far post to head the ball down on the bounce to Townsend who flicked a header over substitute Joe Kilshaw stood on the line. Roche led the protests to the officials but to no avail as he was adjudged to have gone to ground far too easily. Nine minutes remained plus a further nine of added time but Jersey never came close to rescuing their unbeaten home record.

Jersey Bulls – Pierce Roche (wore 13), Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles (wore 14), James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson (wore 16), James Sunley (wore 20), Adam Trotter (wore 12), Lorne Bickley, Stan Dunne (wore 19), Francis Lekimamati (wore 21)
Substitutes – 3. James Carr (for Giles inj 46), 6. Toby Ritzema (for Dunne 63), 7. Luke Coutanche (not used), 8. Joe Kilshaw (for Watson 69), 11. Miguel Carvalho (for Lekimamati 57)

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Dave Kennedy (Coach), Richard Hebert (GK Coach), Karl Benest (Kit), Steve Martin (Medical)

Herne Bay – Freddy Norman, Louie Procopi, Rhys Wyborn, Bode Anidugbe, Joe Alatise, Joe Tyrie (c), Gil Carvalho (wore 19), Hamilton Antonio, Alfie Bloomfield, Steven Townsend, Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo

Substitutes – 12. Zaid Al-Hussaini (for Carvalho 76), 14. James Lartice (for Otseh-Taiwo 90+6), 15. Alfie Cutbush (for Bloomfield 84), 16. Matt Holness (for Anidugbe 90+1), 17. James Rogers (for Alatise 86)

3 / 3Wide Royal Blue and White Stripes/Royal Blue/Royal Blue; GK All Light Green

Liam Friend (Manager), James Rogers (Player/Coach), Joe Denny (Coach), Aaron Smith (Kit), Samantha Stone (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 13; 2-4-5-14; 16; 21-19-8-20; 9
Herne Bay (4-4-2) 1; 2-6-5-3; 11-4-8-19; 10-9

Officials – Michael Butcher (Sheerness), Tom Murray (Sutton) dug outs, Luke Thomas (South Norwood) grandstand

Cautions – Louie Procopi (HB) 66, James Rogers (HB) 90+2

Corners –Jersey Bulls (2) 7; Herne Bay (2) 4

Assist(s) – Jonny Le Quesne

Player of the Match – Lorne Bickley

Added Time – 2.10 & 9.00 (11.10)