Jersey Bulls 2
Dos Santos 46’, Trotter 76’
Eastbourne Town 0
Attendance: 1,005
Player of the Match: Rai Dos Santos
THE Jersey Bulls rallied after a tight start to get the three points over Eastbourne Town, winning 2-0 to maintain their unbeaten run in 2026 so far and keep up their play-off push.
“That was a good win today and we got the three points, which was the most important thing,” said manager Elliot Powell. “It was a bit of a strange game – you obviously don’t prepare to play against nine men – but I don’t think we asked enough questions when the game got to that point.
“But a win’s a win and we scored two great goals. It was a great third-man run from Trotter and a really good combination between Rai [Dos Santos] and Miguel [Carvalho] for the first, so we’re happy with the win, but there is room for improvement.”
On paper, the odds were heavily in the Bulls’ favour, with a large disparity in league position making it seem like a routine fixture for the Caesarean outfit. However, Eastbourne Town have proved themselves as a side not to be under-estimated, beating fourth-placed Sittingbourne and holding fifth-placed Faversham Town to a 0-0 draw in their previous two fixtures.
They seemed to bring that quality to Springfield Stadium, as the opening period of play was nothing but contentious, with neither side really able to get a grasp on the game.
Spectators had to wait until the 21st minute, when Rai Dos Santos took a shot on the turn from just 15 yards out – but Eastbourne Town’s Chris Winterton pulled off a remarkable save to tip it over the bar.
That opportunity commenced what was a special performance for Dos Santos, who once again scooped up player of the match honours. The Bulls star ran Eastbourne Town ragged all afternoon, showcasing exemplary ball carrying and the occasional flash of wizardry to dismantle the opposing defence and break through.
Dos Santos was rewarded for his efforts within 34 seconds of play restarting from the half-time break, breaking through the line to neatly slot the ball in the bottom right corner and put the Bulls 1-0 ahead.
Super-sub Adam Trotter then doubled the Bulls’ lead in the 76th minute, making a great run to capitalise from Ritzema’s pinpoint pass and tap it past the keeper, making it 2-0.
Eastbourne Town were no easy foes on the pitch, bringing a very physical approach to the game. This seemed to have come back to bite them, however, as the side eventually depleted to nine men in the second half, with JJ Walker being shown a second yellow before Eliot Jenks was given a straight red.
“Eastbourne were very physical to play against. Some of us were getting a bit frustrated at times, as they were kicking us here and there and playing with them long balls up the pitch, but we just stuck to our game plan,” said Dos Santos.
Powell added: “I thought they were running the game until they lost their heads. I thought it was a really poor tackle and potential stamp at 1-0. I didn’t know what the lad was thinking and the flying tackle through Campbell was reckless and cowardly. The fact that Eastbourne were questioning the decision was a bit of a shock.”
Although Jersey Bulls had the numbers advantage, they just couldn’t capitalise to build on their lead. But they had done more than enough to ride out the win and get the three points.
With another three points in the bag, the boys in red firmly entrenched themselves in the play-off race, tied on points and goal difference with fifth-placed Faversham but just short on goal difference.
“We’re still unbeaten this year and I think we lose sight of that at times. We’re on a really good run, but no one’s going to remember it if it doesn’t end in play-offs,” stated the manager.
“We need to keep raising the standard as much as we can. I think we need to get four more wins to guarantee a spot in the play-offs. Deal would have to win every game to finish above us and Faversham would have to win four as well, and they have some tough ones in there. We can’t take anything for granted; we just need those four wins.”
Dos Santos echoed those sentiments, adding: “For us, it’s all about sticking together and being patient. We know we’ve got the quality to work well with each other, so we know we’ll always get the chances.
“We really do believe that, as a team, we have what it takes to make it through. We just have to keep the same winning mindset, stick together and train well.”
Charlie’s thoughts
Highlands student and aspiring Sports Journalist, Charlie Vasse was also in attendance during Saturday’s game and he gave his own thoughts to the JEP. Here’s what Charlie had to say…
JERSEY BULLS continued their impressive run of form with a confident 2–0 victory over Eastbourne Town at Springfield Stadium, with both goals coming in the second half from Ray De Santos and Adam Trotter in front of a loud and energetic home crowd.
The atmosphere around Springfield Stadium was lively long before kick-off. Supporters packed into the stands early, and the sound of drums echoed around the ground as excitement built ahead of the match. Chants of “Come on Jersey!” could already be heard as the players walked out for the warm-up, and it was clear that the home fans were ready to get behind their team from the very first minute.
Once the match started, the noise only grew louder. Every strong tackle from the Bulls was cheered, every forward run was encouraged, and the crowd remained fully involved throughout the game. It created a fast and intense opening as both teams tried to take control early on and set the tempo for the afternoon.
Despite the long journey, Eastbourne Town also brought a strong group of travelling supporters who stayed vocal throughout the match. They were especially loud during the first half while the game was still level and helped create a competitive atmosphere inside the stadium. Even after the Bulls eventually took the lead, the away fans continued singing and supported their team right until the final whistle.
The first half was close and competitive, with both teams defending well and limiting clear chances. Jersey Bulls had more of the possession and looked the more dangerous side going forward, but Eastbourne stayed well organised and made it difficult for the home team to break through. There were a few half-chances for the Bulls, particularly from crosses into the box and attacking runs down the wings, but the visitors dealt with the pressure well. As a result, both teams went into half-time with the score still 0–0.
The breakthrough finally came early in the second half after a period of sustained pressure from the Bulls. The home side worked the ball well in the Eastbourne half before it was played through to Ray De Santos, who stayed calm and finished confidently past the goalkeeper. The goal lifted the atmosphere inside Springfield Stadium even further, with the home supporters becoming even louder and pushing the team forward again.
Not long after the opening goal, Eastbourne Town were reduced to ten men following a second yellow card offence. The game became even more difficult for the visitors when they later had another player sent off, leaving them with just nine men on the pitch for the final part of the match.
With Eastbourne forced to push forward in search of an equaliser, space began to open up for the Bulls. Late in the match, another strong attacking move created the chance that finally secured the result. The ball fell to Adam Trotter, who finished well to make it 2–0 and confirm the three points for the home side. The goal sparked another big celebration from the crowd and allowed the Bulls to see out the final minutes comfortably.
To their credit, Eastbourne Town continued to fight and tried to get back into the game until the final whistle. Their defence stayed organised for long periods, and they created a few late moments of pressure, but the Bulls’ defence remained solid and controlled the closing stages well.
The final whistle was met with loud applause from the stands after another strong performance from Jersey Bulls, who continue to build momentum in the league as they aim for back-to-back promotions, following an important and well-deserved home win.
Squads
Jersey Bulls: Euan Van Der Vliet, Jay Giles, James Querée (c), Luke Campbell, Jamie Watling, Luke Watson, Toby Ritzema, Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos, Miguel Carvalho, Lorne Bickley.
Substitutes: Adam Trotter (for Kilshaw, 72’), Fraser Barlow (for Carvalho, 67’), James Carr (for Giles, 80’), Francis Lekimamati, Harry Curtis (for Queree, 87’).
Eastbourne Town: Chris Winterton (c), Sam Parker, Jack Murphy, Harvey Greig, JJ Walker, Nathan Hover, Oliver Davies, Eliot Jenks, Sonny Walsh, James Waters, Leon Greig.
Substitutes: Anesu Sisimayi (for Parker, 46’), Guilermo Cachimuel, Edward Ratcliffe (for Waters, 59’), Marcin Ruda (for Walsh, 80’), Adam Davidson
Isthmian South East Division
