City Unlucky to Lose to Jersey Bulls

Published on: 16 Sep, 2024
Updated on: 16 Sep, 2024

Jersey Bulls (0) 1, Guildford City (0) 0

By Barry Underwood

On a beautiful late summer day on the Channel Islands, Guildford City slipped to what was an undeserved defeat at the hands of the Jersey Bulls, who last year qualified for the play-offs.

Jersey goalkeeper Euan Van Der Vliet, being selected as the home side’s man of the match, tells something of the story.

Throughout, and from both sides, there was some attractive passing football on display. In the first minute Guildford showed their intent when Manny Acheampong escaped into space on the right, but his long range shot from an acute angle was rather ambitious and was comfortably saved.

Alex Stingelin saw a header from a corner go wide and it was a bright opening by the visitors. Jersey started to see more possession and danger man Lorne Bickley soon shot just over the bar from 25 yards.

City debutant Reece Robins, brother of Freddie, was looking lively down the left flank. On 17 minutes he cut inside and fired a powerful effort just over the bar. Two minutes later Robins played in a low cross to Malachai Cole, whose side foot effort was well saved by Van Der Vliet down in the corner.

Minutes later a similar Robins cross to the edge of the box was met by Jake Brown, whose rushed effort sliced wide.

Jersey came close on the half hour when City lost possession cheaply and a long-range lob dropped wide of the visitor’s goal.

City’s keeper Jacob Terry, who made an acrobatic save to keep the Jersey scoreline down to one.

The Bulls looked dangerous on the flanks, but City’s backline looked composed under the mounting pressure. A Jersey header down into the ground went wide, but into stoppage time it was Guildford who came close from a free kick when Jake Brown’s header looped up and just over the crossbar.

Shortly after the restart Guildford came mighty close to taking the lead with home keeper Van Der Vliet making a brilliant double save. The ball bounced invitingly six yards out and Manny Acheampong powered a shot goalwards which Van Der Vliet somehow blocked.

Reece Robins following in blasted the rebound towards goal but again the Jersey goalkeeper kept the ball out.

As if stung by this close call Jersey came forward. Toby Ritzema’s strong run saw an effort with the outside of his foot clear the bar.

The deadlock was then broken on 56 minutes. Indecision on the left led to a dangerous cross into the box where Karl Hinds was on hand to head home.

But Guildford weren’t deterred and on 67 minutes Acheampong’s header at the back post went wide. Guildford lost possession cheaply from a throw-in giving James Sunley a shooting chance which Jacob Terry saved acrobatically.

As the game reached its later stages the home side started to tire. But for all their possession City couldn’t get the ball into the net. Ben Drake’s header from a free kick went straight to the goalkeeper, and with Jersey defending in numbers the visitors couldn’t break through.

Team: Jacob Terry, Tobi Falodi (Keoindre Ellis-Vassell 82), Ben Gambrah, Ben Drake, Nik Krokhin, Alex Stingelin, Jake Brown (Freddie Robins 70), Malachai Cole (Luca Le Page 82), Darnell Jon-Peter (Josh Adjei 74), Manny Acheampong, Reece Robins. Unused sub: Joe Atkin.

Referee: Craig Griffiths

Attendance – 615

Next match…

Guildford City vs Tooting & Mitcham 3pm Saturday, September 21 at Spectrum