Jersey Bulls played their second, and final, pre-season friendly at the revamped Springfield which had a new 3G surface laid and new floodlights installed too. Vale Recreation third in the Guernsey Priaulx league last season provided the opposition.

Jersey made four changes to their starting line up with Jack Lumsden, Sammy Sutcliffe, Luke Watson and Will Yates coming in for Jonny Le Quesne, Luke Campbell, James Carr and Francis Lekimamati respectively. Le Quesne was on the bench along with Adam Trotter, Luke Shirley and youngster Harry Mackenzie who was making his senior debut and replacing the unavailable Fraser Barlow.

Vale Recreation had already played two matches in their domestic Spirit Cup, beating Northerners 2-1 but going down to Guernsey U21s 1-6 on Wednesday. This was an even greater mis-match between teams three levels apart with Jersey scoring eight in a forty-three minute spell, albeit a defensive howler giving one away at the other end during that period.

The visitors feared the worst playing five across the back from the start and their front two so withdrawn as to form another block of five across midfield. Rai Dos Santos went close with an early free kick but a minute later opened the scoring when Lorne Bickley slid in at the far post to force home a James Queree left sided cross from a couple of yards. Vale Rec. could have equalised immediately when Tyrese Kelly broke through the left channel but his shot was saved by Euan Van der Vliet’s legs. Bickley soon added a second when he nodded home from close in a Jay Giles free kick from the right. Vale Rec. reduced the arrears when Giles played the ball across the penalty box to Jack Lumsden. Lumsden instead of turning away from the danger area played the ball back towards Giles only for the lively Kelly to nip in between them and place the ball past Van der Vliet.

Will Yates almost opened his account after half an hour when he broke forward in the right channel but from a narrow angle put his attempt just wide of the far post. Two minutes later Bickley completed his hat trick when received a Miguel Carvalho pass and flicked home a shot. Bickley then turned provider to put Dos Santos clear. He sat Jason Martin down and walked the ball home in a cool and collected manner as a couple of desperate lunges by defenders failed to distract him.

The avalanche continued when Lumsden glanced home a near post header from a Carvalho corner from the right. After providing two assists Carvalho made it half a dozen before half time when finishing off a Giles cross.

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After the break Carvalho provided the seventh and eighth goals. Firstly for Bickley to score his fourth with a cross shot to the left corner and secondly a cut back from the right byline for Luke Shirley to volley home for his first Jersey goal. A flurry of substitutions saw the tempo drop but Jersey remained camped in their opponent’s half. Dos Santos put a cross shot wide midway through the half and near the end hit a screamer just wide off the top right corner after receiving a clever flick from substitute Trotter. In between he turned provider for Le Quesne to bobble home the ninth and final goal of the afternoon from near the penalty spot.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jay Giles (wore 14), Jack Lumsden, James Queree (c), Sammy Sutcliffe, Luke Watson (wore 18), Will Yates (wore 20), Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho
Rolling Substitutes – 2. Jonny Le Quesne (for Sutcliffe 63), 12. Adam Trotter (for Kilshaw 46), 15. Luke Shirley (for Dos Santos 46), 19. Harry Mackenzie (for Carvalho 58), only four substitutes.

Returned – Kilshaw (for Yates 68), Dos Santos (for Bickley 68)

Vale Recreation – Jason Martin, Jake Rowe (wore 14), Oscar Leadbeater, Damien Larkin (c), Charlie Patch, Riley Tyrell, Jacques Wilcox, Glenn Le Tissier, Bertie Beddow (wore 17), Jack Sylvester, Tyrese Kelly
Substitutes – 9. Louis Travis (for Beddow 46), 12. Pearce Le Poidevin (for Sylvester 73), 15. Aidan McDaid (for Rowe 78), 16. Ollie Mills (not used), 18. Kaden Leadbeater (for Tyrell 46), 21. (wore 1) Regan Penny (for Martin 63)

Returned – Beddow (for Travis 78)

White/Green/White: GK All Lemon, Sub GK All Orange

Mark Romeril (Manager), Malcolm Symons & Rob Thomson (Assistants), Jordan Kelly (GK Coach), Lex English (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 3-4-5-14; 18; 11-20-8-10; 9
Vale Recreation (5-3-2) 1; 3-5-4-6-14; 10-8-7; 17-11

Officials – Vitor Antunes, Andy Moon (dug outs), Ray Sutcliffe (grandstand)

Cautions – Luke Watson (JB) and Oscar Leadbeater (VR) 49

Corners – Jersey Bulls (5) 6; Vale Recreation (1) 2

Assist(s) – James Queree, Jay Giles (2nd & 6th), Miguel Carvalho (3rd, 5th, 7th & 8th), Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos

Player of the Match – Lorne Bickley

Added Time – 0.40 & 0.50 (1.30)