Jersey started the second half of their league campaign as they had begun the first, playing Spelthorne Sports. They had won 6-1 in mid-August to put their opponents bottom of the table where they remain. Their record of 1-5-13 12-38 is somewhat deceptive as although scoring has proved a problem – the have only scored twice on one occasion, they usually do not concede many and have lost five matches by the only goal of the game, including Redhill. They had gained draws with Knaphill and A.F.C. Whyteleafe but it was not until mid-November that they won a league game.Other than heavy losses to Jersey and Cobham in August they had not lost badly again until losing to Egham Town in the F.A. Vase last Saturday. They had advanced through three rounds of the F.A. Vase, each time on penalties after 1-1 draws.

Jersey had already met Alton, Chipstead and Corinthian-Casuals twice which they will balance by playing Fleet Town, Redhill and Tooting & Mitcham United twice in the second half of the season. The overall situation being that they have six matches against their closest rivals still to come, having only played two so far.

Jersey made four changes to their starting XI with Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Luke Campbell and Fraser Barlow replacing Pierce Roche, Harry Curtis, Sammy Sutcliffe and Karl Hinds. Curtis and Hinds were on the bench alongside Seaney McColgan, Kieran Lester and Harry Gladdish. Spelthorne had only four substitutes, including assistant manager Dan Green.

Spelthorne showed early intent with three consecutive corners after quarter of an hour and their ‘keeper, Alex Dubrov, did very well to push a twenty yard Rai Dos Santos free kick on to a post. Jersey nearly shot themselves in the foot when a Jonny Le Quesne back pass eluded Euan Van der Vliet before the latter made a sliding tackle to block Liam O’Callaghan’s shot.

The deadlock was broken on the cusp of the interval when another Dos Santos free kick opened the door. This time forty yards out on the left sideline he found Luke Campbell at the far post with a stooping header only six yards out.

It was Campbell again just after the break when he climbed highest to powerfully meet a Dos Santos corner from the right and it went in off the underside of the bar and then the inside of the right post.

The floodgates now opened and a superb Le Quesne flick on put Joe Kilshaw in acres of space in the right channel on the edge of the box. He had time to pick his spot with a well judged cross shot.

Just after the hour Francis Lekimamati hit a long range cross shot from the right that came back off the far post to rebound into Dubov’s upper chest and away. Dubov then pulled off a good save at the foot of the right post as newly introduced substitute Lester hit a first time shot from a Le Quesne cross. Spelthorne broke away from the subsequent corner only to lose possession and Le Quesne threaded a long pass forward. It found four Jersey forwards almost in the clear as Patrick Kavanagh had not moved out with the rest of the Spelthorne defence. Lekimamati took it on and ignoring his colleagues slotted home a cross shot from fifteen yards.

Le Quesne was marauding down the right again shortly afterwards and the left post again came to Spelthorne’s rescue when his twenty-five yard left foot shot cannoned back off it. Barlow dispossessed Shaun Preddie before he could complete the clearance with the ball running to Luke Watson who curled a ten yard shot into the bottom right corner past the unsighted Dubov.

James Carr started off the move that led to the final goal. He put Kilshaw away on the right and his low cross was swept home by Lester at the near post. There was still time for Spelthorne to replicate the 1-6 scoreline of August but with four minutes remaining Glenn Yala, when well placed, snatched at his shot and hooked it just high and wide as James Queree dived in with a covering tackle to help preserve Van der Vliet’s clean sheet.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, James Carr, James Queree(c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Francis Lekimamati, Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos, Toby Ritzema, Fraser Barlow (wore 18)
Substitutes – 12. Harry Curtis (for Watson 73), 14. Seaney McColgan (for Barlow 72), 15. Kieran Lester (for Dos Santos 59), 20. Karl Hinds (for Ritzema 59), 21. Hary Gladdish (sub GK, not used)

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Adam Lester and Andy Dewhurst (Coaches), Karl Benest (Kit), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst), Steve Martin (Medical)

Spelthorne Sports – Alex Dubov, Patrick Kavanagh, Marvin Frimpong (wore 19), Liam O’Neill, Daniel Watts (c), Shaun Preddie, Glenn Yala, Kyle Eakin, Liam O’Callaghan, Mahijith Kumar, Alfie Buckmaster

Substitutes – 12. Josh Kirkham (for Frimpong 78), 14. Jack Birchmore (for Kumar 76), 15. Joseph Blakeman (for O’Neill 59), 16. Dan Green (for Yala 90), only 4 subs.

Sky Blue/Navy Blue/Navy Blue: GK All Very Light Green

Myles Hook (Manager), Daniel Green (Assistant), James Cameron (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 7-8-10-18: 9

Spelthorne Sports (4-4-2) 1; 19-5-6-3; 7-4-8-11; 9-10

Match Officials – Harry George Yellen (Sutton) aged 22 but in his 9th season, the lastsix with the Combined Counties. Last here in January v Balham. Nigel Hickes (Ruislip) on the dug outs side and Derrick Timothy Coe (Boreham Wood) on the grandstand side. Both in their 28th season and here together in early January v Alton.

Caution – Shaun Preddie (SS) 25

Corners – Jersey Bulls (2) 3; Spelthorne Sports (3) 4

Assists – Rai Dos Santos 1st & 2nd, Jonny Le Quesne 3rd & 4th, Fraser Barlow, Joe Kilshaw

Player of the Match – Luke Campbell

Added Time – 2.05 & 0.45 (2.50)