Tadley Calleva 1
Charsley 80
Jersey Bulls 3
Lekimamati 17, Kilshaw 20, Trotter 45HT: 0-3Attendance: 105Player of the Match: James Querée
‘FICKLENESS’ and football. Two long-time bedfellows.
Having swept all before them in league football this year, Elliot Powell’s side have won plenty of plaudits.
But, having suffered their first defeat of the campaign last weekend to an AFC Whyteleafe outfit whose ambitions are lofty, the whispers started.
Is this the start of a fallow period? Have they run out of gas? Do they have the mettle to reach the finish line? Are they really good enough?
All of those questions were answered with stylish, unceremonious, aplomb at Barlow’s Park, where Powell’s men in no mood to let the Whyteleafe defeat derail their momentum.
Indeed, such was their superiority over the course of the afternoon, the result was beyond doubt by half-time – Francis Lekimamati, Joe Kilshaw and a quite delicious effort from Adam Trotter getting the job done.
Powell, understated as always, was in no mood to entertain those challenging his men’s credentials, choosing only to look ahead to the immediate challenge of Abbey Rangers tomorrow night.
“It’s an obvious thing for me to say that we were looking for a reaction after last week’s game – of course we were, and the boys were asking it of themselves,” he said.
“Given the occasion, the size of the crowd and the history of the opponents, we were desperate to deliver a big result, although on another day, the performance we turned in might have got more.
“Whyteleafe have assembled some squad, and, clearly, their ambition does not stop at getting out of this league. For me, whoever finishes above them wins the league.
“We were incredibly proud of our unbeaten run as this league is a tough, tough environment, but it’s gone and we wanted to move on quickly.
“Every time the Bulls have come here (to Barlow’s Park), we’ve always been tested, so I’m delighted with how we’ve gone about it.
“Both Francis [Lekimamati] and Joe [Kilshaw] have emerged as real leaders on the pitch this season and their goals epitomised what they’re all about.
“And then what more can I say about Adam Trotter that hasn’t already been said?
“He’s been a stalwart in this group for some time and he really has an all-round game which few in this division can match.
“We’ll have a look at any knocks we’ve picked up and then it’s re-grouping for tonight at Abbey, which is another venue where we’ve always been given a tough battle over the years.”
Lekimamati and Kilshaw – his 11th of a superbly productive season in front of goal – notched twice in the space of four minutes to severely dent the Tadley resolve, before Trotter cracked home a sublime third on the stroke of the half-time interval.
Killing the ball with his first touch, lifting it past a defender with his second before finishing with aplomb, Powell described it as a “goal of the season” contender.
Not bad for a man known more for his work-rate and tenacity, rather than his technical ability.
Even before Trotter’s magic, Bulls might well have been out of sight.
Rai Dos Santos drew a good stop from home goalkeeper Craig Atkinson, before Lekimamati rounded him, only to miss the target.
As is often the case in games where one side has such a healthy lead at the break, the second half was largely a glorified training exercise, although Powell will have been annoyed about seeing the clean sheet vanish, Tadley’s Andrew Charsley poking home from close quarters.
In the grand scheme, it mattered little.
You can question this group all you want, but in passing their first real test, the answer was clear.
These Islanders aren’t going anywhere.
Tadley Calleva: Craig Atkinson (vc), Dan Williamson (Alex Miller 62), Joe Cummuskey, Brad Neal, Andrew Charsley, Jordan Goater (c) (Scott Costello 54), Alex Fragata, Aime Kamdem (Sheldon Wright 62), Brett Denham, Ash Neal, Adam Everiss. Unused: Aaron Parfitt.
Jersey Bulls: Euan Van der Vliet, Harry Curtis, Fraser Barlow, James Querée (c), Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Jonny Le Quesne, Joe Kilshaw, Rai Dos Santos (Jay Giles 81), Adam Trotter (Karl Hinds 73), Francis Lekimamati (Kieran Lester63). Unused: Toby Ritzema.
