Tadley Calleva who finished fourth, like Jersey, lost in the play-off semi-finals last season. They beat Jersey 4-2 in late August but lost 0-3 at Springfield in mid-November, a score that was repeated today. This season they lie 8th but like Jersey and Fleet Town have many games in hand on their closest rivals. Their record is 9-2-3 31-19, including an impressive away record of 5-0-1 11-6. They are still in the F.A. Vase after four wins and the Hampshire Saturday Cup after three wins. They fell at the first hurdle in both the F.A. Cup and Combined Counties Cup, the latter rather surprisingly to Holmer Green of Division 1. In the league they had only lost to three other leading contenders – Redhill, A.F.C. Whyteleafe and Knaphill.

Jersey were still without the injured Lorne Bickley and Miguel Carvalho with Karl Hinds only on the bench. Both captain James Queree and Jack Boyle wereunavailable. Jonny Le Quesne took over the armband. Luke Campbell returned after injury to take Queree’s place in central defence and Rai Dos Santos came in to spearhead the attack with Keiran Lester moving to the right flank.

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Tadley Calleva made four changes to the team that beat Bridgwater United 4-1 in

the Vase last week. Craig Atkinson took over from Chris Tombs in goal with Kieron Farmer, Scott Costello and leading scorer Alex Miller elevated from the bench.

Jersey dominated the match and would have won more convincingly if it had not been for Atkinson who pulled off a string of fine saves, two of them exceptional.Tadley could point to losing two of their back four to injuries in the first half.

Atkinson denied James Carr and then Dos Santos from point blank range in the first dozen minutes. He denied Carr again on the half hour before eventually being beaten just before the interval. Dos Santos skipped past Farmer on the right before pulling the ball back to Joe Kilshaw who was also thwarted by Atkinson only for the rebound to fall to Toby Ritzema for the coup de grace.

Mid way through the second half Carr spotted Atkinson off his line and lobbed him from thirty yards, only denied by the crossbar. The pressure eventually told when Campbell headed home a Dos Santos corner with ten minutes left. Tadley’s only half chance was a header that bounced up over the bar. In added time the third goal arrived. Substitute Francis Lekimamati broke down the right and centred for Luke Watson whose astute back heel set up Hinds to put the icing on the cake.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne (c), Fraser Barlow, Harry Curtis,Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Kieran Lester, Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos, Toby Ritzema, James Carr
Substitutes – 12. Francis Lekimamati (for Lester 77), 14. Sammy Sutcliffe (not used), 17. Will Yates (for Dos Santos 89), 20. Karl Hinds (for Carr 69), 21 Harry Gladdish (sub GK, not used)

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

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

Tadley Calleva – Craig Atkinson, Joe Cummuskey, Sam Bagan, Brad Neal, Kieron Farmer, Scott Costello, Alex Miller, Jack French (c), Kieran Rodgers, Connor Thorne, Sheldon Wright
Substitutes – 12. Ash Neal (for Bagan 14), 14. Harvey Collins (for Farmer 45+3), 15.Aime Kamdem (not used), 17. James Jupp (not used), 18. Aaron Parfitt (not used)

Light Blue & Navy Blue halves with Light Blue backs and Navy Blue sleeves/Navy Blue with Light Blue panels/Navy Blue; GK All Dark Green

Joe Lawler (Manager), George Coffin (Assistant), Caz Tuttle (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 11-8-10-7; 9
Tadley Calleva (4-4-2) 1; 2-4-5-3;, 7-6-8-11; 10-9

Match Officials - Gulam-Ali Damji (Wallington) 56, born in Tanzania of Indian heritage, moving to England in 1972. Qualified in 2019, initially with the Surrey Leagues, third season with the Combined Counties League. On the line for our F.A. Vase match at Tooting Bec in 2021-22 and previously at Springfield, on the line, for the top of the table match v Raynes Park Vale in April 2023. Mohammed Shahib-Shohel (Wembley) dug outs side, of Bangladeshi heritage. Qualified 2021, Middlesex leagues and now in third Combined Counties season. On the line here almost exactly a year ago for the match against Sheerwater. Nima Hosseinali (Harrow)grandstand side, born in Tehran, Iran. Qualified in 2021 initially with the Surrey leagues before re-locating to the other side of London after a season and officiating in the Middlesex leagues. In his second season with the Combined Counties League and his first visit to Springfield.

Cautions – Fraser Barlow (JB) 17 (foul), Alex Miller (TC) 38 (foul), Rai Dos Santos (JB) 56 (sin bin)

Corners – Jersey Bulls (2) 4, Tadley Calleva (2) 2

Assists – Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos, Luke Watson

Player of the Match – Rai Dos Santos

Added Time – 8.00 & 6.30 (14.30)