Although no match between them had been postponed Jersey were meeting Tooting for the first time this season, with the return due at Springfield in eight weeks.However, Jersey’s midweek match at Abbey Rangers had been called off because of a waterlogged pitch. Tooting were lying 9th with a 10-5-8 41-28 record but with plenty to do if they were to make the play-offs.

Jersey had Adam Trotter, Joe Kilshaw and Lorne Bickley unavailable, the first league match of the season that Kilshaw had missed. He and Trotter were replaced by Toby Ritzema and Karl Hinds. Seaney McColgan and Miguel Carvalho were added to the bench. For Carvalho it was his first appearance in three months after limping off against Knaphill on 2nd November. Tooting made a couple of changes of their own. Habeeb Adepoju and Tariq Mahmoud coming in for Andy O’Brien and Malachai Cole, the latter on the bench.

On a wet and bobbly pitch there was not much to excite the spectators in the first half but Jersey did have two good opportunities. The first arrived midway through the half when Rai Dos Santos robbed Hussein Siklawi on the edge of the box in the left channel. He then had more time than he realised and scuffed his shot wide of the left post with the other side of the goal gaping.

Just after the half hour Francis Lekimamati fed Harry Curtis on a right flank overlap. His low cross was met at the near post ten yards out by Jonny Le Quesne whose curling flick hit the left post and rebounded to Dos Santos a couple of yards out. Unfortunately, the striker already has his arm raised celebrating the “goal” and was unable to adjust his feet in time to tap the ball home before it was cleared.

Jersey brought on Carvalho for Lekmamati at the break but it was Tooting who showed first when their top scorer Max Oldham wriggled through the defence but Euan Van der Vliet dived smartly to his left to keep out his attempt. However, it was Jersey who opened the scoring shortly afterwards. A quickly taken throw in on the right put Dos Santos away and his cut back was met by Le Quesne a dozen yards out with his shot going in off the underside of Toby McKimm in the Tooting goal.

With just under twenty minutes left Carvalho broke down the left and squared the ball to Dos Santos at the far post seven yards out. The striker at full stretch could not keep it down and added to his list of his half chances that had gone begging.

With five minutes remaining a long ball forward by Le Quesne was seized on by Carvalho but under pressure from Habeeb Adepoju he put his shot into the left side netting and the margin kept at one. Tooting continued to look for an equaliser but the miserly Jersey defence managed to keep them at bay.

Tooting & Mitcham United – Toby McKimm, Gideon Acheampong, Izy Nzelo (wore 13), Antonio Simeone (c) (wore 19), Habeeb Adepoju, Darral Wopara, Max Oldham, Hussein Siklawi, Alex Cruickshank, Conor Melody, Tariq Mahmoud
Substitutes – 12. Shawn Lyle (for Mahmoud 63), 14. Malachai Cole (not used), 15. Dale Byatt (not used), 16. Mohamed Cisse (not used), 17. Ashley Sheppard (for Melody 73)

Black & White narrow stripes/Black/Black; GK All Lime Green

Jamie Byatt (Manager), Miguel Carvalho (Coach), Dale Byatt (Fitness), Sean David(Therapist), Harry Vesey (Medical)

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis, Fraser Barlow, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Jonny Le Quesne, Karl Hinds (wore 20), Rai Dos Santos, Toby Ritzema, Francis Lekimamati
Substitutes – 8. Seaney McColgan (for Ritzema 70), 12. Kieran Lester (for Hinds 81),17. Miguel Carvalho (for Lekimamati 46), 18. Jay Giles (for Barlow 33), only four substitutes

Red/White/Red; GK All Yellow

Elliot Powell (Manager), Ian Horswell (Assistant)

Formations (R to L)
Tooting & Mitcham United (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-5-19-13; 6; 11-10-8-7; 9
Jersey Bulls (4-1-4-1) 1; 2-4-5-3; 6; 7-10-20-11; 9

Match Officials – Sobastian (sic) Frazer (North Kensington), Lewis Walmesley-Browne (Brixton) grandstand side, Isaac Nsubuga (Croydon) far side

Cautions – Habeeb Adepoju (TMU) 44, Jay Giles (JB) 62, Luke Campbell (JB) 76, Luke Watson (JB) 90

Corners – Tooting & Mitcham United (2) 3, Jersey Bulls (1) 2

Assist – Rai Dos Santos

Player of the Match – Harry Curtis

Added Time – 1.15 & 4.45 (6.00)