Without a game last week, as Ashford United were still in the F.A. Trophy, Jersey made two changes to the side that had won at A.F.C. Croydon Athletic and then drawn at home with Sittingbourne. James Queree returned for the injured Jonny Le Quesne and took over the armband too. James Carr swapped roles with Fraser Barlow at left back, with Barlow on the bench where youngster Harry Mackenzie replaced Jay Giles.
Sheppey in 16th (3-1-5 13-24) were three places below Jersey who were also on ten points but with three games in hand and a 16 better goal difference. They made three starting and four substitute changes to the team that had drawn 1-1 at Hassocks last Saturday. Tamas Angbaduba, Daniel Bradshaw and Dieko Falade, all previously on the bench, started in place of Billy Bennett, Jacob Lambert and Rolando Onu who all dropped out of the squad along with substitute Ben Clark. Bradshaw took over as skipper from Bennett with Malakai Hyman, Tommy Linkson, Jack O’Neill and Essa Jadama all being added to the bench.
Jersey started the sharper before Sheppey worked their way into the game and started playing possession football without ever threatening. Jersey created the first chance after 18 minutes when Lorne Bickley in the left channel on the edge of the box curled the ball towards the bottom right corner. Adam Molloy at full stretch palmed it away into the path of Miguel Carvalho coming in from the right but he could not keep his attempt down. A strong contender for the miss of the season came five minutes later when Carvalho pounced on a defensive error and centred from the right byline to the unmarked Toby Ritzema at the far post but he did not get over it and cleared the bar with his side-footed attempt.
Bickley surged forward in the left channel once again after 34 minutes and his powerful strike only just cleared the bar. In added time Adam Trotter hit a well struck attempt from twenty-two yards just wide of the left post.
2 / 3After the interval Queree saw a strong shot hit his own man, Carvalho, before Sheppey scored against the run of play. Dieko Falade fed Archie Johnson, overlapping on the left, and was there to volley home his cross from five yards.
Jersey equalised with a penalty just before the hour. Tamas Angbadusa caught Ritzema just inside the box and Queree stepped to send Molloy the wrong way with a shot to the bottom right corner.
Play went from end to end without much resulting until Julien Anau hit a thirty-yard attempt that Euan Van der Vliet parried just far away from Bradshaw to make his attempt from the rebound too difficult.
Jersey had brought on all their outfield substitutes in an attempt to win the match when they were hit by a sucker punch in stoppage time. A long ball forward by Dami Olorunnisimo was half cleared by Luke Campbell to Luke Watson who played it back towards Queree. Anau read it, nipped in first, rounded Van der Vliet and tapped home the winner. There was still time for substitute James Sunley to bring out a close in save from Molloy before Jersey were consigned to their first league defeat.
Sheppey United – Adam Molloy, Dami Olorunnisimo, Archie Johnson, Tamas Angbaduba, Lex Allan, Tyler Hatton, Dieko Falade (wore 17), Hassan Ibrahiym (wore 18), Daniel Bradshaw (c), Julien Anau (wore 16), Medy Elito (wore 19)
Substitutes – 8. Malakai Hyman (not used), 12. Tommy Linkson (not used), 14. Jack O’Neill (not used), 15. Essa Jadama (not used), 20. David Opoku (for Bradshaw 79)
Red and White stripes with Red backs/Black/Red; GK All Light Blue with black flecks to shirt and shorts

Kevin Watson (Manager), others TBA
Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jamie Watling (wore 15), James Carr, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Toby Ritzema, Adam Trotter (wore 12), Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Luke Watson (wore 16), Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 7. Fraser Barlow (for Carvalho 83), 13. Daniel Jinadu (sub GK, not used), 18. Rai Dos Santos (for Ritzema 60), 20. James Sunley (for Kilshaw 60), 22. Harry Mackenzie (for Watling inj. 83)

Gold (worn for the first time)/White/White; GK All Green

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Karl Benest (Kit),) Nikki Nicolle (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Sheppey United (4-4-2) 1; 2-4-5-3; 19-18-16-6; 9-17
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 4-15-5-3; 16; 11-8-12-6; 9

Officials – Richard Joss (Margate), James Perry (Southend) (dug outs), Oliver 3 / 3Townsend (also Southend) (grandstand)

Caution(s) – James Carr (J) 63, James Queree (JB) 67

Corners – Sheppey United (1) 4, Jersey Bulls (4) 7

Assist(s) – Toby Ritzema

Player of the Match – James Queree (honourable mentions for Miguel Carvalho and Adam Trotter)

Added Time – 1.00 & 5.45 (6.45)