AFTER having everything their own way in the opening two fixtures, visiting Alton provided a stern test for Jersey Bulls at Springfield, as the spoils were shared with a 2-2 draw.
Alton, who took all three points away from Jersey last season, left the home support stunned to silence with two goals inside 22 minutes, the second of which left Bulls manager Elliot Powell incensed, as Owen Tanner looked a good couple of yards offside beyond last man Luke Watson.
Joe Kilshaw grabbed his third goal of the campaign after 33 minutes and Rai Dos Santos, on his season debut, squared the game early into the second period.
The hosts looked primed to complete the turnaround, but a frustrating last 40 minutes offered precious little in front of goal, and the men in red had to settle for the point.
“We spoke a lot about pride and resilience after the game – the lads showed that in abundance,” said Powell.
“To come from two down early and fight back was pleasing, but we are really frustrated with the cheap goals we conceded. Especially the decision for the second.
“We all think it was a blatant offside and the fact the linesman did appear to be consulted on the matter, was really frustrating.
“So we feel a little let down by that, but on the other side, I’m really happy with how the lads put that behind them and set about getting back into the game.”
Powell has given midfielder Kilshaw a licence to push up this campaign, after spending much of last season in a more defensive role.
The change of tactics has worked wonders for the Bulls and Kilshaw alike, as the Islander picked up his third goal of the season to lead the scoring charts for his side.
“Both our goals were really well taken.
“We love seeing Kilsh [Kilshaw] arriving in those places in the box and he was rewarded with another goal.
“Similarly, our two wingers in Migs [Miguel Carvalho] and Rai [Dos Santos] combined really well for the second when pressing in behind.
“At 2-0 down, you’re clearly going to take the point, but we can’t afford to have 25 minutes where we start slowly here.
“At home, on our own surface, we should be getting to grips with games far quicker than we managed today and that’s something we’ll have to sharpen up if we want to be thereabouts come the business end of the season.
“I think Alton will be up there this year, so given the circumstances, a point and keeping our unbeaten record, is not the end of the world.”
With club captain James Queree on the bench for a well-deserved rest, Jonny Le Quesne assumed captaincy duties, leading from the front with a man of the match performance.
Playing in a new right wing-back role, he has excelled and offered solidity at the back, while remaining a potent threat going forward.
“Elliot has given myself and Jay [Giles] a license to get up and down the line and equally I really enjoy defending, so I think it suits me well and both me and Jay like getting forward and I think we are offering a threat in attack too.
“The goals were really sloppy to concede early on and we gave ourselves a lot to do.
“But we played brilliantly to get level and I think it’s just a little frustrating that we weren’t able to kick on after the equaliser and go on to win the game.
“That cutting edge in the final third was lacking and I think that’ll be a point of focus heading into Saturday.”
Expectations were high ahead of Powell and his staff’s first competitive home game, after a pair of comfortable victories on the road.
However, a pair of eerily similar goals sucked the air out of Springfield.
Firstly on 16 minutes a ball was played over the top and flicked on by Darnell McDonald into the path of George Bowerman, slotting home beyond the onrushing Euan Van Der Vliet.
Just moments later, another ball was played beyond Luke Watson, who almost stopped with Owen Tanner a long way offside.
Play continued however, and the striker rolled the ball beyond a charging Van Der Vliet once again.
Despite the Jersey protests, the goal stood, with the referee citing that the ball had come off a red shirt, not Alton white.
The bench and crowd were not convinced, but the hosts had to accept they were two down.
Just after the 30-minute mark however, Jersey were back in it.
Jay Giles crossed from the left, as Lorne Bickley’s header was glanced into the path of Carvalho, who fed the incoming Kilshaw to fire home.
Powell’s men continued on the front foot for the remainder of the half, and had a golden chance on the stroke of half-time.
Captain Le Quesne picked Bickley out with a whipped cross from the right, but the marksman’s header crash off the bar and Kilshaw’s follow up drifted harmlessly over the bar.
The equaliser came though, soon after the restart courtesy of a beautiful piece of interplay.
Toby Ritzema threaded the needle through the defensive lines to Carvalho, who picked out Dos Santos at the far stick for his second assist of the game.
It became clear once the score was levelled that Alton, doing their best to frustrate Jersey and slow the game down, were more than happy to take a point and run.
Chances came and went, but none very clear cut.
The one of note fell to substitute Kieran Lester ten minutes from time, but the forward was unable to turn in Luke Campbell’s header back across goal after a corner from Giles.
Lester would then go into the sin-bin for dissent, which left the Bulls short-handed for the last ten minutes of the contest, as the game petered out, with Alton camping deep and shutting up shop against the ten-men hosts.
Next up for Jersey is a trip back to the mainland to face Cobham on Saturday, who are tied on points with Powell side, but have played one game more.
Jersey Bulls: Euan Van Der Vliet, Jonny Le Quesne, Jay Giles, Ben Le Rougetel, Luke Campbell, Luke Watson, Rai Dos Santos (Kieran Lester 77), Joe Kilshaw, Lorne Bickley, Toby Ritzema (James Sunley 61), Miguel Carvalho (Fraser Barlow 70). Unused: Harry Curtis, James Querée.
Alton: Stephen Douglas, Jamie Philips, Joe Goddard (James Barnett 63), Scott Sanderson (Ollie Kavanagh 82), Tolu Ajayi-Obe, George Bennett, Adam Poynter, Tom Hill, George Bowerman (Luke Wandless 70), Owen Tanner (Liam Marshall 90+2), Darnell McDonald. Unused: Kevin Adair.
