Margate 1
Blackman 48
Jersey Bulls 1
Barlow 29
Attendance: 403
Half-time: 0-1
JEP Man of the Match: Daniel Jinadu (Jersey Bulls)
Luke Jarmyn reports…
JERSEY Bulls delighted manager Elliot Powell, and a small, but lively travelling away support in equal measure, as they produced a stand out performance during a historic
occasion in Kent.
The Island side endured hot humid conditions on Saturday and a grueling first-ever game in Step 4 of the English football pyramid to open their league season with a draw away against pre-season favourites Margate.
Fraser Barlow’s 50th goal for the Bulls gave the Islanders a deserved first-half lead, and despite being a whisker away from stretching ahead before the interval, an equaliser by Margate midfielder Sam Blackman early in the second-half ensured honors were shared on the south-east coast.
Barlow put his name into Jersey Bulls history books once again, as the club stalwart got on the scoresheet in the side’s first-ever match in the eighth tier of English football.
The Bulls didn’t look out of place, despite playing in hot humid conditions and earning a point against one of the Isthmian League South East’s more fancied sides.
The richly deserved point will help the team, as they look to start a new chapter and prove themselves, after earning promotion through May’s Combined Counties Premier South play-offs.
After a 6am flight, Elliot Powell’s side suffered some warm-up woes, as regular goalkeeper Euan Van Der Vliet picked up a niggle and dropped to the bench to be replaced by new signing Daniel Jinadu.
The 23-year-old journeyman, who previously spent time at Chelsea and West Ham’s academies before most recently playing for Maidenhead, started against one of his former clubs after only spending 20 minutes with the Bulls.
Meanwhile, Margate, who were in the play-off mix last season after finishing fourth, were without top scorer Ibrahim Olutade due to personal circumstances.
With 403 people packing into Hartsdown Park, including around 25 Jersey supporters ahead of an early 1pm kick-off, the opening stages were cagey with both the Bulls and Margate clearly settling into the new season.
Playing in their change strip of pink, white and turquoise diagonal stripes, the visitors had the first meaningful chance on the third minute when silver fox centre-half Luke Campbell found space in the box, but his header was eventually dealt with by Margate stopper Thomas Wray.
Targeting the clubhouse end of the ground, Bulls were the stronger of the two teams and referee Simon Finnigan had to speak to Margate forward Max Walsh, after a poor challenge on Jack Lumsden in the 10th minute.
Opportunities became limited for both in a stop-start first 20 minutes. Margate’s best effort came for player-coach Ben Greenhalgh, who’s spin and shot inside the area was comfortably claimed by Jinadu, looking incredibly composed on his debut.
The home-side had two dangerously placed free-kicks that were comfortably dealt with by an increasingly confident island backline.
Jersey Bulls continued to be the brighter of the two teams, deservedly breaking the deadlock in the 29th minute.
Right winger Miguel Carvalho kept the ball down his flank, drove forward and cut inside, squaring the ball to Barlow whose low strike slotted straight past Margate keeper Tom Wray, delighting the small group of Bulls fans huddled together.
With their confidence growing, the islanders were on the attack again, and a ball from deep saw Lumsden go past two defenders and make 30 yards on the right before his shot went across the bows of the Blues goal and sailed wide.
In injury time Greenhalgh had Margate’s best chance down the right, pulling Jinadu off his line to shoot towards an empty net, only for the ball to hit the far post and be collected by Sam Sutcliffe – to the relief of Bulls dugout.
The second-half began in stark contrast to the first, Margate getting on the front foot and equalizing within three minutes.
A short corner from Greenhalgh found winger Tushaun Walters, who drove to the byline, chipped for Harry Hudson who’s mis-hit header fell perfectly for Sam Blackman, and the No.8 got off his man to score at the back post.
The second-half became a real scrappy affair, with the referee rightly blowing his whistle numerous time and giving yellow cards to Margate’s captain Greenalgh on the 52nd minute, Bulls’ Luke Watson on the hour-mark and home-side sub Brandon Davey on the 82nd minute.
Miguel Carvalho did well on the 54th minute to win the ball on the right but slipped as he tried to play the through ball.
Bulls defence held a goalmouth scramble on the 71st minute, before Jinadu’s cool roll out led to Francis Lekimamati counter attacking, crossing the pitch and finding Dos Santos on the right but Watson took one to many touches and Margate covered.
Dos Santos then had Bulls’ best chance of the second-half, but his free-kick was easily dealt with by Margate’s keeper.
In the closing stages the Kent side looked dangerous with several set-pieces and substitute winger Kieron Agbebi going close with a looping header that dropped onto the roof of the net.
But Bulls’ defence held firm to ensure a solid start to the new league campaign. Bulls’ manager Elliot Powell told the JEP: “I’m really happy with what we’ve seen, and it was a fair result.
“We came here with a game plan to frustrate, but actually I think we carried a lot more threat than that.
“I’d be disappointed if anyone thought we just parked the bus, I thought we created more of the clear-cut chances and actually, I was really happy with how we took the game.
“I think we dominated the game in terms of where we wanted it played and how we wanted it played, would be unfair to say we controlled the ball and possession.
“It was very much what we wanted pre-game, and I think we exploited weaknesses that we thought they had pre-game, so credit to the analysis team at home and people who have given us intel on Margate, it sort of went to a tee really.”
In terms of standout moments, Powell added: “Luke Campbell’s headed shot after a couple of minutes, Jack Lumsden racing through a couple of times both put us close, but Fraser was on the end of an effort that no one saw to put it into the net at the back post.
“It was a typical goal by Fraser, not the cleanest of efforts but he got it over the line and earned our first goal in step 4, so it doesn’t matter if it’s not the fanciest of goals, it’ll go into the record books for sure.
“We had to factor in the warmer weather as well, to ensure we had some impact from the bench, and I think we did that well. A lot of people expected Rai Dos Santos to start, but he had a patchy pre-season in terms of availability, he’s working his way back to full fitness, same as Adam Trotter who’s been competing in other sports.
“Those two that most would have expected to start will have to bide their time, especially with Jack Lumsden and Fraser [Barlow] performing so well. They were able to give us a good threat late on, which we needed, so that was a positive.”
On Fraser Barlow being Bulls hero once again, Powell said: “The game plan we had suited Fraser, to win free-kicks, hold the ball in as a nine, defensively he was brilliant, and he pops up with historic goals. He scored our first ever competitive goal, he scored the goal that got us promoted, and now he’s scored our first goal at Step 4.
“To get 50 goals for us, there’s no one that works much harder than Fraser, he’s humble and hardworking, we don’t always see eye to eye but I’m delighted for him and for all of the lads today. They got a point that they deserved, and they definitely deserved even more.”
Speaking after scoring his 50th goal in his 157th appearance for the Bulls, Barlow said: “We are pleased with the result on the whole, we hear the rumours that Margate have got all this money and paying players hundreds of pounds a game.
“We don’t have any money, but we want to play at Step 4, and after 10 minutes we thought we were really in a game there and, to be honest, there were disappointed heads in the dressing room afterwards, I thought we could and should have had all three points. But in all in all we would have taken a point before today so we are happy with that.”
The Bulls are next back in action at Springfield Stadium this Saturday 16 August, where they face Fisher in the FA Cup Preliminary Round, scheduled for a 12pm kick off.
Click the link below to access the league website and see the full league table, fixtures and results for the Jersey Bulls.
https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/jersey-bulls/league-table
