Stalemate at Springfield Stadium

Tadley gained a value away point at the weekend as they made the journey over the channel islands to face an inform Jersey Bulls side with 5 wins from 6 in the league.

Backed by some 40 travelling fans, Tadley were able to frustrate the hosts in large parts of the game and stay resillient, with some fantastic individual defensive performances, in the final moments as The Bulls threw everything into finding a late winner.

Chances were few and far between in the opening stages of the match with both Jersey & Tadley creating a couple of half chances that never really looked to threaten the oppositions goal.

It wasn't until late in the half, on the 33rd minute when Jersey won a corner on the left hand side that we came closest to a goal in the game. With goalkeeper Craig Atkinson slightly off his line, the Jersey corner taker attempted an in-swinger at the far post to attempt to catch Tadley off-guard. Mobbed by players from both sides, Atkinson made a brilliant stretched save to tip the ball over the bar and keep the game at 0-0.

The game opened up when just 1 minute later, a failed clearance from Jersey's goalkeeper was picked up by the ever energetic Jamie Johnston who travelled aggresively forward and played it inot the path of Scott Kinge. Kinge then played a lovely reverse pass into the feet of Denham who narrowly missed on-coming Connor Thorne with a ball across the box. Jersey were spared as the assistant referee on the near side had his flag up for an offside.

2 chances for the hosts on the brink of half time were snuffed out by Atkinson & Cummuskey respectively. Firstly, a great effort from 20 yards was equally met, and held, by Atkinson while a minute later a drilled ball in from the left looked destined for a tap in until it was snuffed out by the stretching Cummuskey.

Half Time 0-0

The second half started much the same as both sides cancelled eachother out in the middle of the park and struggling to break down the defence lines to create clear cut chances.

Substitutions were made from both dugouts in an attempt to change the tempo of the play and spring a surprise on the opposition. This was to no avail and the second half passed uneventfully with Tadley looking to settle with the draw. Jersey, however, had other ideas and put everything in to finding a late winner. They came very close to this in the 3rd minute of stoppage time when The Bulls winger Bickley made a marauding run into the 18 yard box, he was under pressure by the Tadley defence and was forced to play the ball back to Prince, who let fly, and looked destined to score the games only goal.

But it was that man again for Tadley, Craig Atkinson. The shot was met with a spellbinding save from Atkinson who got down well to his right hand side to push the powerful shot round his post and out for a corner.

The remaining minutes of added time fizzled out to end the tie in a 0-0 draw. The first ever for Jersey Bulls at their hme stadium.

Highlights of the game can be found via the following link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIHoUO59TOQ