Jersey's wings work wonders as Morris targets Guernsey duel

Eve Watson challenges for possession in Jersey's win over Army Reserve FA Picture: JON GUEGAN

COACH Chad Morris was pleased to see training-ground prep pay off on Saturday evening as Jersey Women dismantled the Army Reserve FA.

Strong wide play was a feature of the hosts’ success in a 3-2 triumph at Springfield, as the squad regrouped for the first time since the 2022 Muratti last May.

Morris had just two training sessions with the players before their first – and currently only – pre-Island Games fixture, but they all appear to have signed up to what is hoped will be a gold medal-winning tactic this summer.

Players at opposite ends of their careers made the difference for the home side, with veteran Jodie Botterill scoring either side of a debut goal for 16-year-old Ella Docherty.

‘We only had two one-hour training sessions before this game and you could see what we worked on in the second session a lot,’ Morris explained. ‘Getting the ball wide, overloading it wide and pulling balls back. When you go to the Island Games nobody is going to let you play through the middle. The only thing they’re going to give you is the wide areas.

‘I think we could have scored another three or four if we had been more clinical and the goals against were from a couple of errors. If we had won 4-0 or 5-0 I think it would have been fair, given the way we played.’

He added: ‘It was good to get them all together again, but we still have another eight players to come back in, who will put pressure on the squad.’

Morris handed three teenagers their debuts and began with a back-four that featured two 17-year-olds, in the shape of Poppy Benest and Muratti winner Sofia Rodrigues. It was Docherty who garnered top praise though, having carved open the Army defence on multiple occasions.

‘Ella played a blinder on her debut,’ said Morris.

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