Colin Jenkins – 831 Appearances

Colin Jenkins played his 831st game as an Oxhey Jet last Saturday making him Jets all-time leading appearances player, surpassing the massive 830 appearances achieved by Eddie O’Connor.

Colin’s appearances for Jets over the last two decades has seen him be a part of Jets glory years winning trophy after trophy and rising from the West Herts, through Spartan Division One to the Spartan Premier. In recent years Colin has been one of the mainstays of the Vets team which has now firmly established itself in the Herts County Leagues.

The Vets turned out in style to mark the occasion and the total appearances amassed by the team over the years was over 7,000 in total between the 15 man squad.

Colin has won many personal awards over the years, especially the Clubman award where Colin has shown an ongoing commitment to the Club and its players and staff.

Colin would say of course that he could not achieve what he did without his lucky pink underpants which have seen many years service – too many some would say!

Click on the gallery below to see a few photos of Colin and his teammates over the years.

Congratulations Colin, you are a true club legend.

Jets 0 Chalfont St Peter 1

FA Cup Preliminary Round
12th September 2020

Jets dipped their colours out of the FA cup against step 4 Chalfont St Peter, a 90th-minute header knocking out the hosts in front of a big crowd for this local derby at the Boundary stadium.

Jets will find it a hard defeat to take, there were some underlying feelings between the clubs, and it was a tense, tight battle with no evidence of the mythical step difference between the teams, actually on the day the neutral would have mixed them up … just !. Only the deluded would use the steps to describe or justify the match, but some did.

Jets lost Reece Cameron injured and are still without Andy Brennan with this wretched suspension from a Sunday twitter comment. Jets were, however, able to unveil their new signing Danny May. Also, there is strength in depth now at Jets, and they were still able to exchange in a full-bloodied match, one they could and should have won, but as so often in the FA cup at all rounds, late fate has the habit of biting you on the rear.

Jets really can be proud of their efforts today, the back four, in particular, were outstanding protecting Partington’s goal, who was up to everything when they were breached. Speer, Gibson, Brown and especially Ashley Lewis were impressive, although just one slip was to be a match loser, cruel justice on the day. Rob Partington even felt his shoulder dislocate and go back in, but continued unphased at his best.

The front three worked tirelessly and had to against the well organised Chalfont defence who also worked hard and tight to hold Jets. Although it has to be said Jets failed to play their typical game, maybe the occasion or the crowd who knows but the supply chain broke down today and left the front line battling for 50/50 high balls and not playing the flowing game of late.

Two relatively early chances showed Jets intentions. Sean Giordmaina fired in a cross goal shot that was saved by the keeper. Then, Bircham was inches off connecting with Giordmaina’s low cross. Then the closest early chance when Lewis Putman beat the keeper but was just the wrong side of the post.

It wasn’t one way at all, but Jets had the edge, and you fancied their chances. It was a tight game though, and it always looked that one goal, either way, would do it. The biggest worry was that Jets were not on top of the midfield battle and were guilty of being caught on the ball far to often, caught out by the speed and numbers coming in to shut them down. Jets turned to the alternative long high ball but, on a dry summer pitch, it was not helping the attack.

Half time and the boss and coaching staff were not best happy with some aspects while pleased with the effort, just a bit more quality in dangerous moments and quicker release could swing this match, play not launch the instruction.

The introduction of Nick Kerley on the hour and the formation change swung the game more Jets way. Kerley did open up the Chalfont defence more, and Jets created two match-winning chances, one a superb curling effort from Lewis Putman that beat everyone, but not the crossbar as it struck the underbar and came out.

Chalfont also got some space from the change and looked more menacing as the game became more open and both teams went into throw the dice time knowing there was no extra times or replays.

The best bit of floor play opened up what looked like the winner as some superb football and interplay ended with a square ball to Bircham in the centre unmarked. With the goal in front of him, his connection was not best, and the Chalfont keeper stuck out a hand out to deny a match-winning moment.

It was a push for the winner that ultimately cost Jets right on 90 mins as a slip allowed Chalfont to attack. The initial move was comfortably dealt with, but as everyone came out the Chalfont left-back was, for the first time, not tracked and his pinpoint cross into the box caught both centres out. The Hemel Town loanee striker Sidney Ibie found the space between the centres and the extra yard to steer the accurate winner into the net. It caused what looked like World Cup-winning Celebrations onto the pitch from the Chalfont bench; such was the evident relief from the visitors to smash and grab a winner against the SSML side.

It was a bitter blow, and there were bad feelings between the benches, but it was a match that was hard-fought and deserved nothing but respect to the players involved.

Jets Carlsberg man of the match came from most of the supporters we canvassed and went to Ashley Lewis who had an excellent game in defence.

So the FA cup is over, Wembley and the FA vase still a dream of course but for now bread and butter stuff in the Spartan Premier league with a heavy fixture list that will test most clubs to the full.

The final message of the day was simple, the lads did superbly and to see a step 4 side celebrate so hard and long for beating us shows where our aims to be stand. No self spotlighted Roy of the Rovers ending for Jets today but those days will come.

 

Jets 1 Bishops Cleeve 0

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
1st September 2020

Jets put three years Of Extra Preliminary Rounds misery behind them in this tough FA cup battle to inflict the first-ever qualifier defeat on their guests Bishops Cleeve.

It was a bad draw for Bishops having a long coach trip on a Tuesday night, but a noisy massive three-figure crowd showed that the fans were eager for football to return for them and what better than the world’s favourite old cup, the FA cup !!

I’m not sure any other competition that we all enter knowing we can’t win could ever provoke such passion, celebration and atmosphere as this one.

It was a first-ever FA cup manager’s role for new Jets boss Stuart Atkins, and he had the worst job possible to do, cutting his pre-season squad from the 20 to the 11 starters and a bench in what was a COVID enforced first competitive match.

Jets went off early at the visitors, and the returning former top striker Lewis Putman went clear early and, with the Jets faithful writing the notch down, he slotted just wide to his and the crowd’s amazement. However, he was out of luck twice in the half when he was denied by stunning saves to keep the score level.

It was not one way. Bishops were a big side and well-rehearsed at set-pieces, and one gave them a glorious chance headed over. The goalkeepers were commanding at both ends, and this was a real hammer and nail FA cup ding dong with the home side having the edge on chances.

A big talking point came on 20 minutes when Putman turned the full-back and was going clear but clinically taken down. It was a baying crowd for a straight red, but the referee took his time, a long time, and went yellow to the surprise of the Jets. Still, realistically it was because so wide on the wing it made it about right for the official, more centre and 💯 he’d have gone.

It was a real battle, and the Jets defence was as tight and active as the front end, and in particular Daryl Brown on his Jets debut was a real force giving nothing along with Speer and Gibson and his central partner Ash Lewis.

Half time 0-0

Jets stayed unchanged, but they had some great options on the bench ready for when the change was needed. Still, groans of what looked like a slip turned to absolute mayhem celebration when Reece Cameron picked up a sloppy Jets ball that looked lost and from a good 30 yards unleashed a curling dipper over and round the keeper. It tested the new goal nets thoroughly; it was a stunning goal for what turned out to be the winner.

Jets still went for the kill and should have had a bolt-on penalty when Louis Stead did a mazy run and was body-checked, but inexplicably the ref waved play on, another big decision, and it could have been a costly call that didn’t go Jets way.

Jets looked tired, and it was getting very sloppy. Bishops had a long period of pressure and corners following the sloppiness, and the equaliser looked inevitable. The management played the correct cards bringing on Sean Giordmaina and Dylan Hickman with twenty to go to give fresh legs.

It helped swing the balance back Jets way as Cleeve opened up looking for the equaliser. Giordmaina’s first ball was a defence cutting ball to Putman, but again it was side netting.

The game was now a see-saw both going hectic, breathtaking stuff testing the hearts to the full. Rob Partington in goal, returning to his old club after a three-year absence and world tour was incredible and pulled a stunning one-handed save that was all but in, truly spectacular.

But it was not the saving moment of the match for Jets. That came just two minutes from time when the ball was goalbound. The whole Jets bench groaning “it’s in” but somehow, and I don’t know even now how Tom Gibson became a mountain and jumped and headed off the line and for Jets it was the match, you saw the visitors holding their heads in disbelief.

On the whistle, it was wild. The players, the crowd, and fair play to the Bishops Cleeve boss who came into the Jets changing room to congratulate the team on a deserved win. A real sportsman, the FA cup makes new friends often, and I Hope pre-season next year we meet again.

The Carlsberg man of the match went to a magnificent debut, a faultless display by Daryl Brown, but tonight hats off to all of Jets, not the starters, or the finishers, but the whole squad as tonight it took the entire team to win the match. Nothing short of 100% by every man could have pulled this off, and the rewards are a step 4 club home tie on Saturday 12th September against Chalfont St Peters as the FA cup also becomes the second competitive match of the season.

2019-20 Oxhey Jets Awards

Even though the 2019-20 season wasn’t completed and we have had no opportunity to have an end of season awards event, either with a boat trip on the Thames or even an event locally, we still wanted to take the opportunity, before the 2020-21 season gets underway, to celebrate our 2019-20 award winners.

Congratulations to everyone who won an award this year and a big thank you to all our players and staff, across all our teams, for their contribution to what was a very positive and successful season for Jets at all levels.

Proud to fly the union and services colours on VJ Day

We were delighted to be able to play White Ensign on VJ day and both teams were able to pay respects to our war heroes who fought for our freedom. In a friendly and entertaining game Jets eventually beat our visitors 5-2.

DUE TO COVID19 GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS, WHICH SEVERELY LIMIT BOTH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THE ENTERTAINMENT WE CAN HAVE AT FUNCTIONS, WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ANY BOOKINGS TO HIRE THE CLUB AT THIS TIME.