Match Report: Fleet Town 1 Jersey Bulls 4

Jersey Bulls proved too strong for Fleet Town, at The Easy As HGV Stadium, as they extended their unbeaten run in the league to 21 games and ended Fleet’s unbeaten home record in the league this season, in front of 552 excited supporters.

Fleet Town attacked from the kick off and won their first corner after one minute, the ball in was cleared by Jersey only as far as Dean Rule, who was able to pass the ball back to Liam Pestle who saw his shot clear the bar. Once they settled into the game Jersey Bulls had the lions share of possession and put together a string of attacks, several of which were only stopped by an offside flag. When they did get an opening Jersey were unable to make the most of it, with a shot by Jonny Le Quesne deflected for a corner, a weak shot from Luke Campbell gave Finlay Purcell an easy catch in the Fleet goal. Fleet still created their own chances but always seemed to have less space and time on the ball, than they are used to against other sides in the division. One of the better chances came when Chike Kandi won the ball and going forward passed to Dean Rule who beat his marker and got a clear shot away, but the ball passed harmlessly outside the post.

Jersey soon created more chances, Toby Ritzema shooting well wide, then from a free kick on halfway Jersey played the ball out to the left and Rai Dos Santos took the ball close to the goal line before firing a cross in which went across the face of the Fleet goal and none of the waiting Jersey players in the box were able to get close to reaching the ball for that vital touch. Fleet had another good chance when Tom Smith and Dean Rule had combined on the left, the cross found Chike Kandi to shoot, which was blocked but came to Tane Caubo but his shot was blocked and cleared for Jersey to set up another attack, while their player Francis Lekimamati was down, when play next stopped Lekimamati received treatment but had to be helped off, he was replaced after thirty minutes by Fraser Barlow, who ended up being player of the match. Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb ran down the right and cut in to hit a dangerous cross which took a deflection off a Jersey defender for a corner to Fleet, taken by Tom Smith Jersey keeper Euan Van Der Vliet went up for it at the near post but could only palm the ball down and he needed a defender to quickly get the ball behind for another corner, Jersey needed two attempts to clear the danger from this corner. Jersey were soon in again at the other end, from a wonderful position in the middle of the box, with the goal seemingly at his mercy Jonny Le Quesne skewed a shot ten yards wide of the goal. With half time approaching Fraser Barlow made his first contribution to the game, running up the left, he whipped in a cross to Rai Dos Santos inside the six yard box, to tap the ball in and put Jersey Bulls 1-0 up after 44 minutes. Within a minute Jersey were on the attack and up to Fleet’s box again, they took the shot and their players all stopped appealing for a handball, the officials waved their appeal away and Fleet played on as Jersey players continued to complain to the referee. The ball reached Tane Caubo at the other end and he made no mistake in sliding the ball into the net to equalise for Fleet Town. Jersey players continued to make their thoughts known to the referee and they were lucky to only have one player, Toby Ritzema, sent to the sin bin for ten minutes. The whistle soon blew for half time with the scores level at 1-1.

First chance of the second half fell to the ten men of Jersey, but Rai Dos Santos shot flew so high it easily cleared the fence behind the goal, not just the cross bar. Fleet Town were able to create one good chance, before Jersey got back to full strength, following interplay between Fareed Hakeem-Habeeb, Chike Kandi and Dean Rule, the opening came to Chike Kandi but his shot was saved by Euan Van Der Vliet in the Jersey goal. After 56 minutes Jersey were given a free kick mid way in their attacking half, no body seemed what the kick was given for, the ball was played in towards the far post, Fleet could only knock the ball down to Fraser Barlow, who steered a shot past Finlay Purcell to restore Jersey’s lead. Fleet soon had a free kick of their own, although further out around half way, the ball was played into the box and Tane Caubo got his head on it and direct the ball goalward but Euan Van Der Vliet got across to make the save and set up a quick break, the ball ran through to Fraser Barlow, in space, he slotted the ball home to make the score 3-1 to Jersey after 59 minutes.

After 75 minutes Jonny Le Quesne had his shot blocked by Finlay Purcell, the loose ball ran straight to Joe Kilshaw, who had the easy job of knocking the ball into the unguarded net to put Jersey 4-1 ahead. After this Jersey made a couple of changes to hold onto the lead they had built and try to deny Fleet any way back into the game. The last few minutes saw Fleet Town besiege the Jersey goal winning a string of corners, most of which were claimed by keeper Euan Van Der Vliet. The final action of the match came when a Dan Bone Cross reached Tane Caubo and his shot was deflected behind for another corner. Jersey Bulls looked the best side that Fleet Town have played this season and well deserved their victory the final score of 4-1 may slightly flatter the Bulls as they continue their promotion push. Fleet remain in a play off position, in fifth place in the table, six points ahead of the new sixth place side Knaphill, but still with four games in hand over them.

Another big match coming up next week on Saturday 4th January away to Knaphill, as Fleet will be looking to bounce back to continue their play off push.