THE scenes at the end sent shivers down the spine. An outburst of emotion. The mass embrace of every player, coach, official, supporter. This was an epic victory for Jersey.
Into the final they go. There is still another match to play for the gold medal. But on this evidence, as long as Jersey don’t get carried away, who would bet against them.
Make no mistake, Isle of Wight are a proper football team. But so are Jersey. They deserved this – they were the better team out of two very good sides.
The standard of football has been high. Gozo and Menorca have been no mugs, even if Saint Helena might have been. Ynys Môn won’t be either. But on this evidence, Jersey are in good shape to take the gold medal they crave.
Not only technically proficient, as the best Jersey players have always been, they are the full package. Tactically proficient, intelligent game management and unbreakable team spirit.
Resolute too. They took the lead early in the first half. It was a preventable goal from Isle of Wight’s point of view. Jay Giles swung in the corner, Lorne Bickley failed to connect but the ball found itself lonely in the penalty area waiting to be poked in and Luke Campbell was first there and he gladly turned the ball into the net.
Jersey maintained control and kept the ball moving but Isle of Wight were always a danger. Jersey repelled them but a moment of misfortune just before the break provided an opportunity for Isle of Wight to level. A shot fired into the area struck Jonny Le Quesne’s hand – there was no chance he could get it out of the way but the referee pointed to the spot and Jake Scrimshaw, a professional with National League club Eastleigh, converted, although Euan Van Der Vliet got a strong hand to it.
But it was after the break that Jersey showed exactly what they are all about. Scrimshaw put Isle of Wight ahead almost immediately after the restart with a screamer from outside the right-hand side of the penalty area. But Jersey were unbowed and they patiently worked the game back in their favour.
They had the support of the ladies too, still recovering from the disappointment of being knocked out themselves by virtue of a coin toss. Captain Libby Barnett led the cheerleading. ‘J-E-R-S-E-Y, we’re an island nine by five. With a knick-knack-paddywhack give the dog a bone, why don’t Isle of Wight …’ – well, you can guess the rest.
Both equaliser and winner were fantastic signature Jersey moves. The first saw Bickley hustle his marker with his big frame, square the ball to substitute Karl Hinds, who unselfishly laid the ball off to Sol Solomon to fire home. The second was pure liquid. A bit of tiki-taka between Luke Watson and Adam Trotter before Solomon fed it out wide to the right to Francis Lekimamati, who hit a first-time cross-pass into the box, which was duly converted by Bickley.
Jersey had chances to put the game out of sight but they weren’t required. The final whistle blew and everyone stormed the pitch, including plenty of converted Sarnians and especially a teenybopper crew for Miguel Carvalho.
‘We had to be brave,’ said skipper James Querée. ‘We went behind and it’s easy to lose your heads and try and do your own thing but we didn’t. We stuck to the game plan and we knew we would get chances.
‘We’ve got a great group, great character but we’ve got one final step to go.’
Manager Elliott Powell added: ‘It was a proper battle. We just need to tighten up those minutes. But we’re a new group and I didn’t expect to be here [as manager] but they’ve welcomed me with open arms. They’re an unbelievable group and I am so proud and privileged to be involved.’
Jersey: Euan Van Der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, James Querée, Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Adam Trotter (Joe Kilshaw), Toby Ritzema (Karl Hinds), Francis Lekimamati (Miguel Carvalho), Sol Solomon, Lorne Bickley
