JERSEY BULLS Women recorded a record-breaking 30-0 win over Guildford Saints, but manager Chad Morris was keen to show his side handled themselves in the proper way.
League-leading Bulls travelled to winless Guildford with a win surely guaranteed, but the steely ruthlessness of the scoreline demonstrates the ambition of a side looking far ahead after already securing promotion from Surrey Division 1.
Aware of how the scoreline may be perceived, manager Chad Morris was keen to emphasize how impressed he was with his team’s application, describing the performance in “tough circumstances” as ” handled with class and integrity”.
Guildford Saints 0
Jersey Bulls 30
Tavares 5′, 8′, 19′, 32′, 33′, 54′, 61′, 63′, 69′, Morris 6′, 28′, 49, H. Sundby 10′, 12′, 21′, 24′, 30′, 67′, Clyde-Smith 22′, T. Sundby 51′, 57′, 73′, Smythe 59′, 71′, Guthrie 79′, 88′, Brennand 82′, 90′, Silva-Pinto, 85′, McCarten 87′
HT Score: 0-13
Player of the match: Anita Tavares
“It was a difficult situation for everyone involved,” said Morris. “At the end of the day, it’s a competitive league game of football that we were there to win in our long-term objectives of promotion and beyond.
“We knew after about 20 minutes the way the game was heading. We pulled the girls together in a huddle around that mark and discussed how we were going to pursue the remainder of the game to help all involved get the most out of it.”
Changes were discussed and made, which involved substitutions, changes in formation and standards set amongst tactics that put restraints on the players, regarding switching of play and keeping possession for certain periods of time.
“For not one second did the girls want to rub their noses in it and I think we played the game as sensibly as we could. There’s only so much you can do, if you’re six yards out with the goal gaping you can’t just turn around and pass it back.
“It was a situation where nobody could win really. We just wanted to do the most professional job we could and ensure we did the basics of earning three points and keeping a clean sheet.”
Anita Tavares bettered her effort of eight in a game Molesey Athletic by moving to the top of the league goal scoring charts with nine against Guildford, moving her season league tally to 28.
Holly Sundby also starred with six, moving her alongside Leah Morris into tied third place on 15 goals, Morris herself netting a hat-trick, as well as Tiffany Sundby.
The remaining strikes were shared amongst Taylor Smythe (2), Amy Guthrie (2), Ella Brennand (2), Sam Silva-Pinto and Rachael McCarten.
With sights firmly set on higher challenges in seasons to come, the standards set by this group are firm and are being well received by the players.
Over their last five fixtures, skipper Holly Sundby and her side have scored 57 goals and conceded just once. They currently lie nine points clear atop Surrey Division 1 with 11 straight victories.
Just one game remains for the Jersey Bulls Women, as they head home on February 8 to take on Cranleigh to hopefully make it 12 from 12 in their debut season in English Football and look ahead to next season with the same standards and steely determination.
Jersey Bulls Women’s squad: Holly Sundby (c), Danielle Bradshaw, Ella Brennand, Amy Guthrie, Natasha Keen, Rachael McCarten, Leah Morris, Chantelle Renouard, Sam Silva-Pinto, Tiffany Sundby, Anita Tavares, Taylor Smythe
