Sandhurst Town originally joined the Combined Counties League in 1990 but after relegation in 2013 they joined the Hellenic League for a couple of seasons 2016-18.

Returning to the Combined Counties they gained promotion in 2023 and last season finished 10th in the Premier Division. Both matches with Jersey were drawn; 1-1 at Springfield in March following a remarkable 4-4 at Bottom Meadow in September. Sandhurst led 2-0 only for Jersey to go 4-2 up early in added time, however there was still time for the hosts to score twice and grab a point.

This season Sandhurst are again mid-table, lying 12th with a 6-1-10 32-39 record. 5 of the 6 wins have been at home, the best being defeats of Cobham and the previously undefeated Fleet Town. They have also played in four cup competitions, winning the first and losing the second in every case, so have totalled 25 matches already, nine more than Jersey. Their well-appointed ground in the town’s Memorial Park which also hosts the local cricket and tennis clubs was upgraded to a 3Gsurface in the summer of 2023, its qualities were needed on a wet and windy afternoon.

Jersey were still without their two strikers, Lorne Bickley and Karl Hinds, as well asMiguel Carvalho. Fraser Barlow was also missing so James Carr dropped back to left of the defence, Francis Lekimamati came in up front with Kieran Lester swapping flanks. Jake Prince, out injured for more than a season, was on the bench.

Sandhurst made three changes to their starting line up from their last match, a 0-2 home loss against table toppers Redhill. Toby Lanes, Charlie Bath (captain) and Shane Qoloni replacing Adam Richards, Morgan Elliott (captain) and George Knight.

A remarkably straightforward victory followed, with double figures a possibility on another day. However, the hosts did manage to end Jersey’s long run without conceding a goal after 948 minutes. Harry White in the home goal twice pulled off excellent double saves to keep the tally down and when Prince was brought on he was put through only to roll his shot past White but on to the right post.

For the opening goal Lekimamati evaded Brough down the right and his curling cross evaded those in the middle but was chested down at the far post by Kieran Lester who then hooked it home from six yards for his first goal of the season.

Lekimamati was also the assist for the second goal. He found Rai Dos Santos on the edge of the box and he flicked it up, turned and volleyed it home rather like Pele in the 1958 World Cup final.

Sandhurst hit back quickly. Tshin Kamuabo wriggled past a couple of tackles on the right sideline and Alfie Edmonds inside him took a shot which flew across to Qoloniin space at the far post. He managed to get his shot off just before a defender and Euan Van der Vliet descended upon him and the ball squeezed through a narrow gap into the bottom left corner.

As if taking this an insult Jersey retaliated with three goals in four minutes.
Lester retrieved a wayward pass by the left corner flag and fed it back to Toby Ritzema who slalomed past a couple of tackles before delivering it to Dos Santos in the left channel eight yards out. He swept it home with a left footed cross shot for his second goal of the match.

For the fourth, captain Jonny Le Quesne making his 150th appearance shimmied through the middle and laid off to Joe Kilshaw whose through pass gave Dos Santos a hat-trick opportunity. His shot was parried by White but only as far as Le Quesne who half volleyed the rebound into the roof of the net from near the penalty spot.

Almost immediately Ritzema waltzed through the right side of the Sandhurst defenceand after beating three defenders centred low into the six-yard box. There George Brough at the near post in attempting to prevent his tormentor Lekimamati from reaching the ball only succeeded in doing the job for him.

With the game decided the match became one of Sandhurst chasing shadows as Jersey passed the ball around at will but a sixth goal came after the interval when Ritzema leapt highest to power in a header from a right sided free kick from Dos Santos. Both were taken off shortly afterwards as was Luke Campbell to give all three substitutes half an hour on the pitch.

Jersey continued to pour forward but not were as incisive as they were although White was still kept busy and when he was beaten by Prince a post saved him.

Sandhurst Town – Harry White, Brighton Morrison, George Brough, Eddie Cooper, Ruben Mayani, Toby Lanes, Shane Qoloni, Charlie Bath (c), Tshin Kamuabo, Alfie Edmonds, Frazier Osunkoya (wore 16)
Substitutes – 11. Luka Smirnoff (for Edmonds 73), 12. Mason Slade (for Bath 57), 14. Adam Maadani (for Mayani 57), 15. Josh Smith (for Kamuabo 73), 17. Da-Qaio Stewart (for Osunkayo 57)

Red & Black Stripes (Red backs)/Black/Black; GK All Light Blue

Adam Barnard (Manager) absent, Carl Barrie (Assistant), Lee Barefoot and Liam Day (Coaches), Chad Smith (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne (c), James Carr, Harry Curtis, Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Francis Lekimamati, Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos, Toby Ritzema, Kieran Lester

Substitutes – 15. Jake Prince (for Dos Santos 63), 16. Sammy Sutcliffe (for Campbell 57), 17. Seaney McColgan (for Ritzema 63), only three substitutes

White/Blue/White; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Dylan Buesnel (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Sandhurst Town (4-4-2) 1; 2-5-6-3; 16-4-8-7; 10-9
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 7-10-8-11; 9

Match Officials – Chris Binney (Hook), Simon Maynard (Reading) dug outs side and

Richard Garland (Woking) far side

Cautions – Frazier Osunkoya (ST) 38 foul, Alfie Edmonds (ST) 51 foul

Corners – Sandhurst Town (2) 4, Jersey Bulls (2) 4

Assists – Francis Lekimamati (1st & 2nd), Toby Ritzema (3rd & 5th), Rai Dos Santos (4th& 6th)

Player of the Match – Rai Dos Santos

Added Time – 1.10 & 1.40 (2.50)