Jersey travelled to top of the table rivals Redhill in a match postponed from 5thNovember when fog prevented Jersey from travelling. Remarkably they meet again next week at Springfield in match re-arranged from 31st August. The teams were level on points but Jersey had a game in hand and a much better goal difference. A win for Jersey would put Redhill out of contention, a win for Redhill would mean Jersey would have to win all three of their other fixtures. Last season both matches ended goalless.

Jersey made two changes to their starting XI with Luke Campbell returning from holiday to take his place in the centre of defence to replace the injured Toby Ritzema. Paul McKay also started, swapping roles with Karl Hinds who was on the bench where Kurtis Guthrie and Sammy Sutcliffe were added in place of KieranLester and Pierce Roche.

Redhill had three alterations to the team that lost at home to A.F.C. Whyteleafe eleven days previously. Captain Eoin Fraser, sent off in that match, was suspended

and both Sean Swift and Charlie Penny were made substitutes. Into their places came three from the bench, Ethan Ford, Elliot York and Sam Fitzgerald. Central defender Tommy Smith took over the captaincy.

The pitch was dry, dusty and very high bouncing which coupled with a strong wind was not at all conducive to the playing of good football. Consequently, an aerial battle followed as Redhill more familiar with the conditions adopted a long throw and high ball forward bombardment policy hoping that the ball would occasionally fall favourably for them. Luke Campbell and James Queree in central defence coped admirably but it was a scrappy affair and not pretty to watch. However, the importance of the occasion kept Redhill’s largest crowd of the season riveted.

The aerial nature of the contest led to an unfortunate injury after only three minutes when both Olly Allen and Fitzgerald went for a ball also contested by Joe Kilshaw. Kilshaw luckily avoided their sandwich but the Redhill clash of heads led to a four minute stoppage whilst Fitzgerald was patched up and Allen helped off and later taken to hospital. Swift was brought on his place.

The first chance of any description was not until the 27th minute when Lorne Bickley managed to put Miguel Carvalho through in the right channel but he shot wide.

Redhill’s long throw method of attack almost paid dividends on the half hour when another Smith missile was flicked on by Fitzgerald to Nathan Hogan whose side footed volley from six yards hit Van der Vliet before being cleared.

Eight minutes later Bickley was wrestled to the ground by Fitzgerald who followed it up with a sly kick. Swift unwisely decided to get involved and received the first caution of the match. The experienced referee having already called the captains together after only quarter of an hour sensed that there was something more to the incident and had a midfield conference with both his assistants. Bizarrely Campbell was cautioned at the end of this and Watson too when he protested. After a six minute stoppage play eventually resumed.

As play moved in to 17 minutes of added time Elliot York was cautioned for a late tackle on Van der Vliet and Swift was dismissed after his second caution for tripping Fraser Barlow. Luke Roberts in the Redhill goal was then found to be “injured” allowing his now ten man team a tactical re-think with their management team while he was treated. In the tenth added minute a Barlow corner, Jersey’s first, was headed powerfully goalward by Watson only to hit the back of the head of a defender looking the other way. The half ended with a caution for Carvalho after over an hour of “play” which had seen very little football but plenty of spoiling tactics.

Ethan Ford was added to the referee’s notebook early in the second half and shortly afterwards he and fellow cardee York were replaced in a double substitution that brought on Jaevon Dyer and Timmy Obisanya. Jersey also made a double change with Adam Trotter replacing Paul McKay in midfield and James Carr taking over the right flank vacated by Carvalho.

Jersey’s man advantage saw them with more space but little to show for it. Mid way through the half Jonny Le Quesne hit a powerful, albeit ambitious, shot from distance that flew wide of the right post. Barlow, on the turn, hooked a shot across the face of goal before a Carr cross was almost headed in to his own net by Joe Dyett. A Trotter lay off saw Bickley connect well from twenty yards, but he only found Roberts.

Roberts was fully extended by a Kilshaw rocket five minutes later. Bickley nodded it down to the midfielder whose twenty-five yard shot was heading to the top right corner before Roberts flew across to push it away for a corner. The ensuing corner was cleared for another from which Jersey took the lead. Barlow swung it in from the right and Campbell peeled away from his marker to glance a header from near the penalty spot. It was not powerful but well placed and found the bottom left corner.

Redhill needed an equaliser and obtained it in the first of nine added minutes. A quick throw down the left allowed Smith to put in a cross just beyond the near post which Seb Tauta-Caballero attacked. Outjumping Trotter from eight yards he brought an excellent save out of Van der Vliet low to his left and he was quickest to the loose ball to stab it home from a couple of yards.

Four minutes later a Carr cross from the left gave Watson a glorious headed chance at the far post but he glanced it well wide. Le Quesne brought proceedings to an end with another twenty yard attempt in a match of 116 minutes before the teams do it all again next week in Jersey.

Redhill – Luke Roberts, Archie Harland-Goddard, Joe Dyett, Sam Fitzgerald (wore 15), Tommy Smith (c), Callum McAllister (wore 18), Ethan Ford, Olly Allen, Seb Tauta-Caballero (wore 20), Nathan Hogan, Elliot York
Substitutes – 6. Sean Swift (for Allen 7), 14. Jaevon Dyer (for Ford 57), 16. Charlie Penny (for Hogan 68), 22. Arlie Talboys (for Fitzgerald 81), 23. Timmy Obisanya (for York 57)

Red and White stripes with Red backs/Red/Red; GK All Light Blue

Jordan Clark (Manager), Luke Taylor (Assistant), Matt Chapman (Coach), Colin Miles (Scout), Sam Foster (Head of Operations), Jaymini Patel (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Fraser Barlow, Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Paul McKay, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 14. James Carr (for Carvalho 60), 15. Adam Trotter (for McKay 60), 16. Kurtis Guthrie (for Giles 75), 20. Karl Hinds (for Kilshaw 90+2), 22. Sammy Sutcliffe (for Bickley 89)

All Navy Blue; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton and Adam Lester (Assistants), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst)

Formations (R to L)
Redhill (4-4-2) 1; 3-18-5-2; 20-8-15-7; 11-10

Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 7-8-10-11; 9

Match Officials – Ayodele “Dele” Sotimirin (Brixton), James Beal (Croydon) dug outs side and Gareth Mays (Tadworth) clubhouse side

Cautions – Sean Swift (R) 38, Luke Campbell (JB) 41, Luke Watson (JB) 42, Elliot York (R) 45+1, Sean Swift (R) 45+4 & dismissed, Miguel Carvalho (JB) 45+16, Ethan Ford (R) 53, Callum McAllister (R) 90+3

Corners – Redhill (3) 3, Jersey Bulls (1) 4

Assist(s) – Fraser Barlow

Player of the Match – Luke Campbell

Added Time – 17.10 & 8.50 (26.00)