As Jersey’s jaunts continued it was a first meeting with Spelthorne Sports at their Ashford Common ground just west of Kempton Park Racecourse. Spelthorne had joined the Combined Counties League in 2011 and won promotion to the Premier Division in 2014. Since the regionalisation in 2021 they had spent both seasons in the Northern Section before being transferred to the South this season.

Last season they finished 15^th in the North and this season they lie one slot lower in the South with a record of 1-2-3 4-9. They opened the season with an 2-1 F.A. Cup win v Loxwood before crashing out 1-7 at Newhaven. In the F.A. Vase they lost 1-3 at lower division Rising Ballers Kensington, an identical draw to last season.

In the league after two draws with Horley Town and Sheerwater they lost the next three without scoring against Redhill, Abbey Rangers and Balham before a welcome win last week at Fleet Town.

Jersey made two changes with Kamen Nafkha and Miguel Carvalho coming in for Luke Watson and the unavailable Lorne Bickley. Watson was joined on the bench by James Carr and Ben Le Rougetel. Spelthorne also made two changes with Kelvin Karanja and new signing Armani Morris replacing Michael Dapaah and Finn Haughey, the latter now on the bench.

Jersey were late in arriving so the kick-off was put back to 1p.m, however, it was eventually a further five minutes before Spelthorne kicked off. Jersey defended the Clubhouse (East) End on another warm (25C) day with the pitch dry, hard and bumpy. It was the hosts who put in the first attempt when Felipe Marques-De Lima, who spent much of the afternoon receiving treatment, was just high and wide.

Francis Lekimamati put Jersey ahead soon after that scare when Nafkha flicked on to Jack Boyle who in turn found Lekimamati who hit a cross shot dipping volley into the bottom left corner from a narrow angle. Boyle shot straight at ‘keeper Shay Honey but mid way through the half Jay Giles nearly lobbed him from thirty yards.
Barlow doubled the lead before half time when a quick Jonny Le Quesne throw in gave Adam Trotter the room to reach the right byline and pull the ball back to Barlow.

Just before the hour Leon Iloube shot straight at Euan Van der Vliet after the pass inside was just behind him. Jersey used all three substitutes in a six minute period as they continued to dominate possession. Sammy Sutcliffe had a towering header from a corner headed off the line with ten minutes to go before another quick Le Quesne throw released Barlow to the right byline and his pull back to the centre was finished off by Watson via the back of Oliver Davison. Jersey improved their goal difference in added time when a quick counter attack saw substitute James Carr pass inside to Barlow whose deft touch defeated Honey and nestled in the bottom left corner.

Jersey’s win put them top albeit having played more games than their closest rivals

Spelthorne Sports 0; Jersey Bulls 4 (Francis Lekimamati 8, Fraser Barlow 38 & 90+1, Luke Watson 82)

Attendance – 82

Programme – Yes (price TBA, pages TBA)

Spelthorne Sports – Shay Honey, Jonathan Gjoshe, Kelvin Karanja, Benedict Statham, Darnell Lemar, Raphael Azimi, Armani Morris, Felipe Marques-De Lima, Leon Iloube, Jamie Fuller (c), Frazier Osunkoya.
Substitutes – 12. Olawale Garuba (not used), 14. Ahmed El Hana (for Marques-De Lima 79), 15. Oliver Davison (for Lemar 59), 16 Finn Haughey (for Osunkoya 66), 17. Joseph Duddy (for Iloube 87) – Davison took over the captaincy when he came on

Light Blue/Navy Blue/Navy Blue (white tops); All Light Green (socks darker)

Myles Hook (Manager), Dan Green (Assistant), Dan Bullen (Physio.)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles (c), Sammy Sutcliffe, Harry Curtis, Kamen Nafkha, Francis Lekimamati, Adam Trotter, Fraser Barlow (wore 18), Jack Boyle, Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 14. Luke Watson (for Boyle 64), 15. James Carr (for Carvalho 64), 16. Ben Le Rougetel (for Trotter 70), only three substitutes

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Gary Freeman (Manager), Kevan Nelson (Assistant), Dan Seviour (Coach)

Formations
Spelthorne Sports (4-4-2 R to L) 1; 2-5-4-3; 11-6-10-7: 9-8
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1 R to L) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 7-10-8-11; 18

Referee – Ethan T. Stacey (Reading) Aged 26, now in his seventh season, four with the Hellenic League and now in his third with the Combined Counties League. His second Jersey match. Promoted since last season when he was on the line at Springfield in February for the match against Camberley Town

Assistants – Steven “Steve” Williams (Hatch End) was on the line at Springfield in November 2022 for the Badshot Lea match on the dug outs side and Michael Hill (Merton) on the road side

Cautions – Kelvin Karanja (SS) 9

Corners – Spelthorne Sports (0) 0; Jersey Bulls (1) 3

Player of the Match – Adam Trotter

Added Time – 6.20 & 2.15 (8.35)