Parishes of Jersey FC got off to a winning start on their Conifa journey at St Peters, inflicting a first ever defeat on fellow members Yorkshire International Football Assocation (YIFA).
Goals from captain Jack Boyle and Calvin Weir gave the Parishes a comfortable 2-0 lead, before Seon Ripley pulled a goal back for Yorkshire with nine minutes remaining to set up a nervy finish.
Jersey faced a late onslaught, as Yorkshire chased an equaliser, and it took a brilliant tip-over save from Euan van der Vliet to keep Parishes of Jersey ahead.
It was competitive throughout and just the challenge that the Island’s leading players have been looking for.
‘I was very happy with that,’ said victorious team manager James Scott.
‘It was a challenging game, extremely tough at times and just what we expected and wanted.
‘There was a lot of good football played by both teams and we scored two very good goals.
‘We wanted an occasion and we got one. There was a good turnout (404) and the people I’ve spoken to are happy with what they’ve seen and what we are trying to do.
‘It was nerve-racking at the end, but we’ve gained a 2-1 win and we’ll take that.’
Yorkshire’s defeat was their first in four matches since their formation.
Head coach Ryan Farrell said: ‘It’s early days for us, it’s a process and we’ve only had about ten training sessions together while the Jersey lads have played together a lot more.
‘Hats off to Jersey first half they were very, very good and I thought we got back into the game second half and probably deserved an equaliser at the end.’
Jersey coach Simon Moiani said: ‘A winning start and a fantastic performance.
‘We didn’t know much about Yorkshire before the game and it was evident that as the game went on, we could find little weaknesses and at half time we spoke about them.
‘It was a really, really tough game and I can’t praise the performance enough.
‘It was fairly even, but exactly what we were expecting, and we prepared for that.
‘It was competitive and challenging for our players to come up against players they’ve not seen before.
‘We stood up to the challenge well and nobody disappointed because the effort was excellent.
Yorkshire were quick and direct in the opening 15 minutes before the hosts settled to play a good passing games and with great compose on the ball.
Calvin Weir nodded a good chance over early on while home defence Luke Campbell made a strong headed clearance from a goal-bound effort.
Campbell did brilliantly to break up a Yorkshire attack and moving the ball quickly forward the hosts broke the deadlock – Weir pulling the ball back from a by-line for Boyle to capitalise from 15 yards.
Weir’s touch let him down when he was well placed.
Van der Vliet, at full stretch, palmed away a ferocious drive to deny Yorkshire Adam Hayton immediately after the resumption.
Both teams squandered a couple of chances before the Parishes of Jersey double their lead in the 76th minute.
Luke Watson, who was tidy in midfield despite his lack of football recently, and the energetic Karl Hinds combined to put Weir clear and he guided the ball into a bottom left hand corner.
Seon Ripley nodded home what turned out to be Yorkshire’s consolation goal, but only because van der Vliet prevented Tom Greaves with his aforementioned tip-over save.
Parishes of Jersey FC: Euan van der Vliet; Harry Curtis, Luke Campbell, James Quérée, Jack Cannon; Calvin Weir, Luke Watson, Jack Boyle, Adam Trotter, Michael Weir (Zeljko Martinovic, 70); Karl Hinds. Unused substitutes: Matt Donaldson, Thomas Harris, Jake Baker
Attendance: 404
Man of the match: Luke Campbell (Parishes of Jersey)
Officials: Gareth Bayley, Ian Solomon and Steve Proffitt (all Jersey)
Photo: Adi Topley https://www.atopphoto.com/
