Goal-scoring centre-halves are a rarity these days.
But in our corner of the Islands, there’s a man who has inherited the baton from more esteemed names before him – think Dion Dublin, or John Terry – and here in Kent, he was at it again.
When referee Kane Dempster awarded the Bulls an early penalty, there was no question about who was going to take it and, more importantly, what the outcome would be.
Up stepped James Queree, evergreen as always, and as he thumped the ball in from 12-yards, victory was secured in that moment. Yes, there was the huff and puff of another 90 minutes to go through, but the strike was decisive.
Sevenoaks Town 0
Jersey Bulls 1
Querée 4′
HT: 0-1
Attendance: 246
Player of the Match: James Querée
And, given the early placing of the game in comparison to the Bulls’ rivals all playing on Saturday afternoon, the win takes Elliot Powell’s men, likely only fleetingly, into the play-off spots – with the boss clearly delighted.
‘Look, we were in pretty much total control of that game from start to end and at this stage of the season, we’ll take that,’ he said.
‘I felt we should have been out of sight in all fairness, before half-time. We’ve had some decent chances which we couldn’t quite take, for one reason or another, but that happens. It was then about making sure we managed their energy in that opening period of the second half, and we did just that.
‘We’ve said all along that if we were able to stay in touch with the teams directly above us going into this final stretch of the season, we’d get close. The view was, going into this game, that seven wins would give us a brilliant chance of getting into the play-offs, and tonight was the first step.’
Powell was most certainly correct in his assessment of the Bull’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.
Rai Dos Santos had a glorious opportunity within 30 seconds, latching on to a short headed back-pass from Kevin Diomande to his goalkeeper, Jordan Perrin.
Perrin recovered superbly to deny Dos Santos, but he was powerless just minutes later when Queree dispatched his penalty, Toluope Jonah adjudged to have handled the ball after being put under considerable pressure by Miguel Carvalho.
Dos Santos, Lorne Bickley and Carvalho were all denied by Perrin – the Sevenoaks captain was a tower of strength for this side – and his repelling of the latter, in particular, was from the very top drawer, an instinct save from two yards.
The hosts were barely given a sniff in the opening 45, the marauding Adam Trotter and Toby Ritzema suffocating their midfield, but they were a more expansive in the third quarter.
Jefferson Aibangbee kept Jonny Le Quesne and Queree honest down the Bulls right hand side, and young Jed Bowers was a constant outlet in a deep-lying midfield role.
As the tie went deep and Town went long, it was left to that man, Queree, to sum up the desire and sheer will to win in this Bulls team.
Sandwiched in between Aibangbee and Warren Mfula, the veteran captain flung himself forward, beating both to the loose ball – and winning a free-kick for his troubles.
James Sunley would have a final effort parried away by Perrin, but the job was done and Powell, professional and calm as ever, was already looking ahead to next Saturday.
‘Having the game played on a Friday works perfectly for us because we can all get home now and relax. There are a few bumps and bruises, and I don’t think we’ll see Jonny (Le Quesne) on Saturday, which is a real shame.
‘Hassocks are fighting for their lives so we know what’s going to come our way and we have to make sure our preparation is bang on.
‘Given how we think the maths works out, winning our home games is absolutely vital and, if we are being brutally honest, there can be no slip ups.
‘We’ve come out of February really well in terms of performances and points and I think what you’ll see is some of the big boys at the top of the league knock one another out in the coming weeks, and we have to be in a position to be able to take advantage when that happens.’
To see the full Isthmian South East Division table, click here; https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/isthmian-football-league-south-east-division/league-table
Squads
Sevenoaks Town – Jordan Perrin (c), Kevin Diomande, Charlie Dickens, Jed Borders, Ryan Sawyer, Toluope Jonah, Jaden Perez, Hanson Itauma, Warren-Hughes Mfula, Rodney Eruotor, Jefferson Aibangbee
Substitutes: Jahmal Howlett-Mundle (not used), 13. Thomas Taylor (sub GK) (not used), 14. Thomas Hanfrey (for Mfula 88), 15. Daniel Duncanson (for Itauma 54), 16. Nana-Amoako Agyemang-Arthur (not used)
Jersey Bulls – Euan Van der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, James Querée (c), Jamie Watling, Toby Ritzema, Adam Trotter, Luke Watson, Lorne Bickley, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho Substitutes: James Carr (for Ritzema 72), Fraser Barlow (for Le Quesne 76), Joe Kilshaw (not used), James Sunley (for Dos Santos 61), Francis Lekimamati (for Carvalho 88)
