JERSEY Bulls under-18s were dealt a devastating blow in being knocked out of the Grant-McLellan Youth Cup on penalties.
The young Bulls had much the better opportunities over 90 minutes in their semi-final duel with Camberley U18s, but the Surrey outfit stood firm to progress 3-1 on penalties after the score was locked at 0-0 when the final whistle blew.
For Paul Renton’s men, it marked the third successive occasion that they have bowed out of a cup on spot kicks, but the coach saw plenty to be positive about.
With several key players unavailable, including Fergus Boyle, Charlie Brennan and Leandro Vieira, the Bulls were forced to field a team with some playing out of position.
‘Anyone watching the game would agree that we had five or six really good chances to put the game to bed within 90 minutes,’ said Renton.
‘Credit to their keeper as he made some very good saves, but we are definitely disappointed to go out having had so many chances to score.
‘But I have absolutely no criticism of the players. I thought every one of them fought very hard and were excellent on the night.
‘We had Barry Beatson, a midfielder, who filled in at full-back as well as a couple more playing in unfamiliar roles.
‘It was a very young group out there and we have to be very pleased with the performance. They were able to match a strong Camberley side physically and played some really nice football.’
The fixture was initially set to be held some five months ago, but with the prospect of Jersey having to travel to the mainland twice in the space of a week, during peak exam times, the decision was taken to withdraw.
Common sense prevailed, however, and the Combined Counties Football League agreed to finish the competition at the beginning of the new season.
Renton said: ‘We have to look ahead to this season now, and there is a lot that we will take from this experience.
‘There were a couple of under-16 players who came in and performed superbly.
‘Tomas Goncalves at centre-back and Casey Nixon on the wing that came on and played great.
‘There is no denying that it is disappointing, but these kids will learn from it and we clearly have the players to go into this season and perform.’
More than 140 turned out to see the first competitive action of the new season for the Bulls at Springfield Stadium, and there was plenty of quality on show from both sides.
Considering this was essentially an early season game, the pace was fast and the standard was high.
After some sparring in the early stages, the young Bulls began to assert themselves and had the more clear-cut chances during the first half.
Conor O’Keeffe had the first real chance of the game, weaving in and out of defenders, but his snap-shot was well saved by Camberley’s Chris Tombs.
Ben Shirley fired just wide from range moments later, before Joel McKinley saw his effort scrambled off the line.
Right on the stroke of half-time, the Bulls saw another chance cleared off the line by a dogged Camberley defence.
Harry Scott, who has recently broke into the first team, burst up the right and fired across goal.
The clearance fell to Seaney McColgan, whose effort was again blocked off the line.
Early in the second period, there was a strong penalty claim when Scott weaved into the box and went to ground, but referee Gareth Walker was motionless in the middle.
The hosts continued to press and probe for an opening, but found firm resistance in the shape of the opposing number one.
Both McColgan and O’Keeffe had late chances to break the deadlock, but the former’s strike was well stopped and the latter’s chance drifted agonisingly wide of the upright.
Penalties have been somewhat of an Achilles heel for the Islanders in recent times and again they found themselves unstuck by football’s ultimate test.
McKinley stepped up first and saw his effort saved by Tombs to his left.
Camberley then made Jersey pay, scoring all three of their penalties, while Beatson was the only Caesarean to find the net.
Unfortunately for Renton & Co, McColgan and Ben Shirley’s efforts were both unsuccessful as Camberley wheeled off in celebration.
The mainlanders now square off against Kingstonian U18s in the final, after they beat Windsor in the opposite semi-final back in May.
Jersey Bulls U18s: Harry Gladdish, Ollie Walker, Barry Beatson, Joel McKinlay, Tomas Goncalves, Connor Lloyd, Harry Scott, Ben Shirley, Conor O’Keeffe, Seaney McColgan (c), Cristiano Ascenção. Substitutes: Joey O’Toole, Casey Nixon, James Stangroom, Seb Figueira, Jacob Videgrain.
