Jersey travelled to Worthing for their F.A. Cup replay after the 2-2 draw on Saturday. Worthing have been in the top four of the National League South in each of the last three seasons, losing in the play-offs every time. This season they lie 10th with a 3-3-2 15-11 record and have increased their average home league gate to 1,800+

Jersey made three changes to their team with Jamie Watling and Rai Dos Santos both unavailable and Toby Ritzema nursing an injury and only a substitute. They were replaced by Jack Lumsden and Adam Trotter with Fraser Barlow promoted from the bench. Changes there in addition to the Barlow/Ritzema swap were youth player Ewan Brodie coming in for Luke Coutanche and Daniel Jinadu not brought over as a standby goalkeeper, so that there were only six substitutes.

Worthing elevated Odei Martin-Sorondo from Saturday’s bench where he was swapped with Toby Byron. The three unused substitutes on Saturday were replaced by Jack Spong, Anointed Chukwu and new signing Teddy Jenks.

Having given Worthing a scare on Saturday despite Worthing having much of the play it was important that Jersey again struck first in the return game. Jersey adopted a defensive strategy hoping to catch Worthing on the break. Worthing relied on a possession-based game while they looked to unlock their deep lying opponents.

Jersey defended valiantly and a possible turning point came in the 26th minute when Bickley ran after a ball forward in the right channel only to be clattered by ‘keeper Seb Stacey outside the box. It may not have been Schumacher on Battiston in the 1982 World Cup but the decision was similarly lenient with Stacey only cautioned.

Ten minutes later Worthing opened the scoring when Razzaq Coleman-De Graft in the right channel twenty yards out played a delightful chip to the far post where Temi Babalola shrugged off the attentions of Jack Lumsden and scored with a stooping header from six yards for his fifth goal of the season.

In the 40th minute Martin-Sorondo hit a rising cross shot from twenty yards which clipped the top of the bar. Jonny Le Quesne brought down Matt Burgess but the penalty claim was waved away by the referee before Sam Beard, in added time, put a header just wide of the right post as Worthing turned the screw before half-time.
After the interval the commanding Sam Packham brought a good save out of Euan Van der Vliet before Worthing had another penalty shout denied when Jay Giles 2 / 3brought down Joe Cook. However, Cook was soon instrumental in Worthing’s second goal. He spun on a half-cleared corner and returned it to the danger zone where Coleman-De Graft cleverly backed heeled it between the defenders from six yards out.

Jersey had a rare sight of goal when Bickley cut in from the right channel only to send his attempt over the bar from the edge of the box. Shortly afterwards Babalola made the game even safer for Worthing when given a little space twelve yards out he rifled the ball home into the top right corner giving Van der Vliet little chance.

By this time Jersey were chasing shadows and their hurried clearances were returned by the Worthing defenders who spent most of their time on the halfway line. Worthing felt comfortable enough to make a triple substitution and one of them, Spong, fired just wide before Van der Vliet made another good save from another of them, Bailey Smith.

Babalola completed his hat-trick from fifteen yards and was promptly withdrawn for Bradley Dologhan. The referee then awarded Worthing a penalty when Trotter hooked the ball away from Spong. Justice was done when Spong placed his spot kick at a comfortable height for Van der Vliet to push away with his right hand.

Worthing were not done and in the last “normal” minute Jersey conceded a fifth goal in a competitive match for the first time in their “career”. Smith crossed from the right and Dologhan at the near post ten yards out did well to twist and get enough power on his header to find the top right corner as Van der Vliet tried to claw it out.

Worthing amply demonstrated the two level difference between the clubs as Jersey defended resolutely to the end but the corner count of 14-0 on the night and 25-0 over the two matches accurately reflected the balance of play.

Worthing – Seb Stacey, Joel Colbran (c), Sam Beard, Harry Ransom (wore 12), Joe Cook, Sam Packham (wore 16), Razzaq Coleman-De Graft, Odei Martin-Sorondo, Temi Babalola (wore 14), Matt Burgess (wore 20), Nicky Wheeler
Substitutes – 10. Jack Spong (for Burgess 64), 13. Taylor Seymour (sub GK) (not used), 17. Bailey Smith (for Cook 64), 18. Toby Byron (for Beard 68), 19. Anointed Chukwu (not used), 21. Bradley Dologhan (for Babalola 73), 24. Teddy Jenks (for Martin-Sorondo 64)

All Red (white trim to shirts and shorts); GK All Purple

Chris Agutter (Manager), Dean Hammond (Assistant Manager), Ben Cornelius (Coach), John Keeley (GK Coach), Matt Miller & Olly Hills (Medical)
Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles (wore 14), James Queree (c), Jack Lumsden (wore 15), Luke Watson (wore 16), Fraser Barlow, Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Adam Trotter (wore 12), Miguel Carvalho
Substitutes – 6. Toby Ritzema (for Watson 66), 10. Harry Mackenzie (for Carvalho 70), 17. Will Yates (for Kilshaw 76), 19. James Carr (not used), 21. Francis Lekimamati (for Bickley 60), 22. Ewan Brodie (for Barlow 79), no seventh substitute
All White (Sky Blue and Pink diagonals on shirt): GK All Yellow
Elliot Powell (Manager), Karl Benest (Kit), Nikki Nicolle (Medical)
3 / 3Formations (R to L)
Worthing (4-4-2) 1; 2-5-12-3; 7-8-16-11; 14-20
Jersey Bulls (4-4-2) 1; 2-4-15-14; 8-16-12-7; 11-9

Officials – Tom Ellsmore (Woking), Pablo Aguilar-Cabanes (Horsham) (dug outs), Thomas Copping (Waterlooville), (grandstand), James Kerten (Bognor Regis) (4th official)

Caution(s) – Seb Stacey (W) 26,

Corners – Worthing (6) 14; Jersey Bulls (0) 0 (25-0 over both matches)

Assist(s) – none

Player of the Match – Euan Van der Vliet (honourable mentions for Jack Lumsden & Adam Trotter)

Added Time – 1.55 & 3.00 (4.55)