A.F.C. Whyteleafe in top spot made their first visit to Jersey and looking to avenge Jersey’s “backs to the wall” 1-0 win in early October. Since that day their league record is 11-2-1 35-10 with their overall record now being 20-2-4 71-28. They werefour points ahead of Jersey from four games more with an impressive away record of 10-0-1. They were the division’s top scorers with two more than Jersey.

Whyteleafe had scored five in each of their last three outings, the last of which took them into the last sixteen of the F.A. Vase. They are also in the last sixteen of the Combined Counties Cup. Recent expensive signings have also bolstered their squad, notably the itinerant Jamie Mascoll with 14 clubs already but with no more than 26 appearances at any one of them. Mascoll arrived from Folkestone Invicta and another Kent capture was ‘keeper Harvey Keogh from Dover Athletic.

Jersey fielded an unchanged starting XI with Francis Lekimamati and Lorne Bickley both returning from injury to take places on the bench.

It was a must win game for Whyteleafe if they hoped to secure the automatic promotion place and they came out with all gun’s blazing. Their build up, movement and player rotation were most impressive and they took every opportunity to shoot but that part of their play was not as strong as the rest.

Instead, it was Jersey with the first chance just before the quarter hour when Keogh was too slow clearing a back pass and was caught in possession by Rai Dos Santos. Keogh quickly recovered to block the loose ball which had run to Jonny Le Quesne.

Whyteleafe resumed the ascendancy but whilst always looking threatening failed to create any clear-cut chances in the remainder of the half.

Jersey replaced Karl Hinds with Adam Trotter at the break as the diminutive front man was failing to make an impression on the visitor’s tall twin centre-backs.

The referee started to lose patience with Whyteleafe’s physicality and before the hour a couple of them were cautioned. Whyteleafe broke the deadlock at the three-

quarter mark when Daniel Bennett gained possession on the half-way line, fed Gaspar Mico who in turn found Mascoll. He held the ball up for the overlapping Bennett who chipped it back from the byline to Mascoll near the penalty spot.

He showed his class by chesting the ball down and volleying it home with his left foot into the top right corner before running off to celebrate with the delighted ‘Leafe supporters behind the goal. The goal triggered a collapse at the other end of the pitch where Keogh went down for over three minutes much to the derision of the home support. A seemingly time-wasting tactic that continued to such an extent that the referee eventually extended the half by almost thirteen minutes.

Jersey responded by bringing on their attacking substitutes Lekimamati and Bickley

and they poured forward for the last half hour, including added time. They were regularly thwarted by a massed defence but with ten minutes of “normal” time remaining Jersey fashioned their best chance of the match. Dos Santos eluded Jordan Johnson on the left flank and put the ball across the face of the goal where Bickley missed it by a whisker a couple of yards out at the far post.

Dos Santos hooked a shot just wide as he turned in the box two minutes from time. Keogh continued to test the referee’s tolerance but it was substitute Alex Nwadike who was eventually cautioned for time wasting before Whyteleafe had to play out the last nine minutes with ten men after Johnson was sin binned. Whyteleafe almost snatched a second when Bennett robbed Campbell and bore down on Van der Vliet. The ’keeper held him up long enough for James Queree to clear the danger whenBennett tried to round the ‘keeper.

Whyteleafe held out and so regained top spot by virtue of goals scored after Redhillhad briefly overtaken them after kicking off an hour earlier. Redhill have still to meet Whyteleafe and then Jersey twice, the results of which should determine the top three positions.

Jersey now embark on three successive away games against upper mid table teams, Tadley Calleva, Abbey Rangers and Tooting & Mitcham United which they will need to successfully negotiate if they are to stay in close contention.

Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis, Fraser Barlow, James Queree (c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Toby Ritzema, Joe Kilshaw, Karl Hinds (wore 20), Rai Dos Santos, Jonny Le Quesne
Substitutes – 9. Lorne Bickley (for Kilshaw 74), 12, Francis Lekimamati (for Le Quesne 72), 14. Kieran Lester (for Curtis 90+7), 15. Adam Trotter (for Hinds 46), 21. Harry Gladdish (sub GK, not used)

Red/White/Red; GK Grey/Grey/Black

Elliot Powell (Manager), Dan Garton (Assistant), Adam Lester & Andy Dewhurst (Coaches), Dylan Buesnel (Analyst), Jan Bentley (Fitness), Steve Martin (Medical)

A.F.C. Whyteleafe (squad numbers) 1. Harvey Keogh, 4. Daniel Bennett, 10. Ryan Hall, 13. Alton Leeward, 15. Jamie Mascoll, 17. Gaspar Mico, 22. Craig Braham-Barrett, 23. Ryan Gondoh, 25. Corey Holder (c), 26. Aaron Goode, 30. Jordan Johnson

Substitutes – 8. Eric De Melo (for Mico 79), 9. Aaron Watson (for Hall 63), 20. Tyrone Gondoh (not used), 21. George Hill (sub GK, not used), 24. Alex Nwadike (for Braham-Barrett 84).

Green (White sleeves)/Green/Green; GK Yellow

Kelly Waters and Ennio Gonnella (Co-Managers), Junior James (Coach), Georgia Layne (Medical)

Formations (R to L)
Jersey Bulls (4-4-2) 1; 2-4-5-3; 11-8-6-7; 20-10

A.F.C. Whyteleafe (4-4-2) 1; 13-26-25-22; 23-30-17-4; 15-10

Referee – Ayodele “Dele” Sotimirin (Brixton) refereed Jersey matches at Beckenham Town and at home against Sheerwater in 2021-22 as well as the pre-season friendly against Kettering Town and the league match against Abbey Rangers in 2022-23. Last here nine months ago for the Horley Town fixture. A 46-year-old of Nigerian descent who was with the Combined Counties League before progressing to become an assistant referee in the Conference League. Preferring the greater involvement of being in “the middle” he returned to the Combined Counties League seven seasons ago.

Gareth Edward Davis (Aldershot) dug outs side. Qualified in 2019, initially officiating in Hampshire leagues, recently promoted to Level 4, first season with Combined Counties and first visit to Springfield

Edward Peter Clifford (Wycombe) grandstand side. Qualified in 2012, progressed through Middlesex leagues, third Combined Counties season, first Springfield visit.

Cautions – Ryan Hall (AFCW) 56, Jamie Mascoll (AFCW) 58, Alex Nwadike (AFCW) 90+1, Jordan Johnson (AFCW) sin bin 90+4

Corners – Jersey Bulls (1) 4, A.F.C. Whyteleafe (1) 2

Assists – none

Player of the Match – Luke Campbell

Added Time – 2.55 & 12.50 (15.45)