JERSEY BULLS – 6 (Trotter 39′, Dos Santos 54′, Ritzema 68′, 77′, Carvalho 69′, Queree 85′)
CROYDON ATHLETIC – 1 (Daniel 51′)
Attendance: 907
HT Score: 1-0
Player of the Match: Toby Ritzema
JERSEY Bulls fired on all cylinders to demolish second-placed side AFC Croydon Athletic 6-1, earning themselves a play-off spot while also recording their biggest ever win at Step 4.
The opening 20 minutes was a closely fought battle on the pitch, but neither side could edge ahead A closely fought opening 20 minutes, but neither side is able to edge ahead and break the deadlock.
Six minutes later, Jersey Bulls’ Jonny Le Quesne made his effort to try get a leg up, collecting the ball outside the box to then take a shot – but it chopped wide.
Rai Dos Santos followed that up with an effort of his own in the 30th minute, as he regained possession in the box to make for a dangerous opportunity. Dos Santos took a clean shot to the left corner, but Croydon Athletic’s Amadou Tangara made a great save.
Fans had to wait until the 39th minute for the deadlock to be broken, but it was well worth the wait! The ball fell right into Adam Trotter’s path following Le Quesne’s deflected shot, allowing the former to 39′ Trotter breaks the deadlock in style! First-time 20 yarder with the left foot goes straight into the bottom right corner, 1-0 Bulls. Fell right into his feet following JLQ’s blocked shot
Miguel Carvalho was incredibly close to doubling the lead just before half-time at the back post, but unfortunately, he was just out of range.
Following the half-time break, Croydon Athletic were keen to flip the script as they came out firing to score an equaliser in the 51st minute. Kadell Daniel weaved his way to the centre of the box and fired away the shot, slotting it past Euan Van der Vliet to level the score, 1-1.
Hearts were pounding when Croydon’s own Cian McCarthy delivered a devastating free-kick attempt two minutes later. It looked as if Croydon Athletic were about to pull ahead, but it curled just wide.
Jersey Bulls wasted no time in hitting back, as Rai Dos Santos extended to reach Toy Ritzema’s well-placed pass, just tapping it past the keeper to re-establish the lead.
Ritzema then went from playmaker to goalscorer in the 68th minute, poking in the ball on the volley from Jay Giles’ free kick to make it 3-1.
The Bulls really got into their attacking flow in front of the home-crowd, giving spectators little time to breath as they put away another goal less than a minute later.
Striker Lorne Bickley went for the chip, but the ball deflected from Tangara’s glove right into Carvalho’s path, who was left with no challenge to tap it in and extend the lead.
By this point, Jersey Bulls’ counterattack had well and truly overwhelmed the visitors, as Ritzema controlled the ball, turned quickly and lobbed it over Croydon’s keeper from distance to make for a spectacular finish.
To make matters worse, Croydon then proceeded to give away a penalty late into the game, as substitute Fraser Barlow was fouled with a nasty challenge.
Skipper James Queree maintained his reliability from the spot, as he put it away comfortably.
From there on out, Croydon Athletic seemed to give up all hope, as the Bulls rode out the match comfortably to seal their 6-1 win.
JERSEY BULLS: Euan Van Der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, James Queree (C), Toby Ritzema, Lorne Bickley, Jay Giles, Luke Watson, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho, Adam Trotter, Jamie Watling. Substitutes: Fraser Barlow (for Carvalho, 79′); James Sunley (for Ritzema, 79′); Joe Kilshaw (for Watson, 80′); Luke Campbell (for Trotter, 82′); James Carr (for Dos Santos, 82′).
AFC CROYDON ATHLETIC: Amadou Tangara, David Boateng, Jerome Binnom-Williams, Kadell Daniel, Reece Grant, Brandon Pierrick, Luke Dreher (C), Josh Williams, James Dunne, Charlie Colkett, Cian McCarthy. Substitutes: James Taylor (for Dunne, 74′); Callum Harriott (for Pierrick, 61′); David Bremang (for Daniel, 74′); Richard Afrane-Kesey (for Boateng, 74′); Nya Kirby (for Colkett, 75′).
To hear from Manger Elliot Powell and Player of the Match Toby Ritzema, make sure to check out Monday’s JEP for a full reaction.
