The Bulls had to travel back to Gander Green Lane for this replay as F.A. rules prevent midweek replays being played offshore, probably due to the short time available to make all the necessary arrangements.

Both teams made alterations to their sides. Sutton Common Rovers unused substitute Jake Hill was not available and they had lost Dominic Bates and Niran Butler to injury on Saturday. Their replacements, Ryan Healey and Kiyo Brown, now continued as, “starters” with Tyrell Butler, an unused substitute on Saturday, starting up front in place of Danny Fernandez. Jay Dunstan-Digweed, Naseem James and Ollie Twum, not involved on Saturday, were added to the bench.

Jersey’s Adam Trotter was unavailable but Lorne Bickley was back from holiday. Jonny Le Quesne resumed at right back with skipper James Queree returning to central defence, which relegated Jack Griffin to substitute. Three Saturday “benchers” started; Joe Kilshaw came in for Trotter in midfield alongside Ruben Mendes-Pestana and Jake Prince made his first Bulls’ start. They replaced Luca Margaroli and Kieran Lester who reverted to being substitutes, alongside Bickley and Griffin.

As on Saturday, the Bulls started by attacking the Collingwood Road End on a mild evening under the bright lights of Football League standard. The teams were being watched by Kevin MacLaren and Steve Dormer, the manager and assistant manager of Chertsey Town, whom the winners would host in the next round.

Sutton Common Rovers started the quicker and Brendan Murphy-McVey hit a shot which Jonny Willows only just managed to touch over. They took the lead midway through the half when Ryan Dacres-Smith scored with a header, as he had on Saturday, from their second corner. As he is not the tallest of the players, by some way, questions were asked of the defensive organisation.

Jake Prince, justified his start and eventual player of the match award, by equalising. Chasing after a 50/50 ball, on which many others would have given up, he just beat the Sutton ‘keeper, Mackenzie Foley, to it and slid the ball home.

Déjà vu continued ten minutes later when Luke Campbell headed in a corner to give Jersey the lead, just as he had on Saturday. The only difference this time being that Sol Solomon took the corner, rather than Jay Giles. Fortunately, Sutton Common Rovers did not, on this occasion, hit back before half time.

Jersey came back out with intent, Solomon forcing a good save from Foley and Prince firing just wide. After the hour, Sutton made a double substitution to attempt to get back in the game after which the Bulls introduced Bickley for Mendes-Pestana.

The goal of the game came with quarter of an hour remaining. Bickley reached the right byline and got in a low cross which was just behind Solomon. Unfazed, Solomon did not break stride as he flicked it home to make him the competition’s leading scorer with nine goals so far this season.

The old adage that “you are never more vulnerable than when you have just scored” again came back to haunt the Bulls. A poor punch out by Willows was returned with interest by Murphy-McVey to reduce the arrears and keep Sutton “interested”. Willows redeemed himself shortly afterwards with a good save from an Adam Allen shot that had deflected off Queree which initially wrong footed him.

Bickley should have put the match to bed with eight minutes remaining when one on one with Foley, but put the chance wide. Sutton perhaps sensing a last chance at redemption then sent on Danny Fernandez up front to try to take the match to extra time. Instead the match turned ugly as the Sutton Common Rovers’ players delivered a number of “careless, reckless and excessive” tackles that led to them “gaining” four more cautions in eight minutes. As two of these were second “yellows” they finished the match with only nine men as the Bulls celebrated reaching the last 197 in the competition. 532 other clubs have already been eliminated.

Jersey Bulls 3 (Jake Prince 32, Luke Campbell 42, Sol Solomon 75); Sutton Common Rovers 2 (Ryan Dacres-Smith 24, Brendan Murphy-McVey 76)

Attendance 149

Programme £2, 52 pages, full colour (re-issue of Saturday’s programme at S.C.R.)

Jersey Bulls – Jonny Willows, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Kamen Nafkha, Fraser Barlow, Joe Kilshaw, Jake Prince, Ruben Mendes-Pestana, Sol Solomon

Substitutes – Lorne Bickley (for Mendes-Pestana 68), Luca Margaroli (not used), Kieran Lester (for Prince 90+1), Jack Griffin (not used), only four substitutes

Red/White/White; GK – All Green

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

Sutton Common Rovers – Mackenzie Foley, Malachi Robinson, Matt Tanton, Ryan Dacres-Smith (c), Aaron Bogle, Ryan Healey, Kyle Henry, Adam Allen, Tyrell Butler, Brendan Murphy-McVey, Kiyo Brown
Substitutes – Jay Dunstan-Digweed (not used), Naseem James (not used), Ollie Twum (for Brown 64), Shawn Lyle (not used), Kieran Campbell (for Butler 64), Danny Fernandez (for Murphy-McVey 83), Phil Page (not used)

Darren Salmon (Manager), Chris Ginn (Coach), Charlie Acres (GK Coach), Liam Joyce (Player Analysis) Anthony Williams (Equipment Manager), Anah Browne (Physio.)

All Yellow (Blue trim); GK All Light Blue

Referee – Harry Wager (Tunbridge Wells) A police officer who has been refereeing for 15 years. He now controls Conference South & Isthmian Premier games plus being a fourth official for Conference National matches.

Assistants – David Ellis (Brighton) & Matthew Jackson (Sutton)

Cautions – Solomon (JB) 44, Tanton (SCR) 50, Prince (JB) 57, Giles (JB) 71, Healey (SCR) 72, Tanton (SCR) 87 & off, Henry (SCR) 90+2, Robinson (SCR) dissent 90+3, Robinson (SCR) 90+4 & off

Dismissals – Tanton (SCR) second caution, 87; Robinson (SCR) second caution 90+4

Corners – Jersey Bulls (1) 4, Sutton Common Rovers (3) 6

Player of the Match Award (commentators) – Jake Prince (JB)