Jets 3 Bushey Sports 1

Jets Cruise Into St Marys Semi-Final

Jets moved comfortably if not convincingly into the St Mary’s cup semi-final last night against Herts County Premier side Bushey Sports 3-1 on a wet night at the Boundary Stadium.

There was nothing between the two sides early on as both asked questions of each other in an open probing first twenty minutes. Jets former keeper Sam Styles made good saves from both Nick Kerley and Chris Blunden.

Blunden netted what he thought was the opener, but it was ruled out by a more than a dubious flag, dubious being polite as it was right in front of me that he turned the last defender and broke clear. When the assistant did finally arrive, he put his flag up !!

Jets main threat against was the nippy wide men who were running at Jets with much danger, but Jets back line were doing well and keeping feet on the slippery surface with the rain falling. When the low crosses did penetrate, there was no one on hand to execute the move.

Jets also started to open gaps and finally one paid off when top scorer Nick Kerley became provider running and drawing defenders in the box before rolling to “Patru” to stab home (23 mins).

The goal seemed to rock Bushey for a while, and Jets edged slightly on top possession-wise. Bushey were still dangerous on the counter while not having control of the centre park that was giving Jets the edge.

Chris Blunden hammered home a super strike, with HT approaching, at an angle from the edge of the box and beat Styles despite an acrobatic attempt at the save. That gave Jets some space for the break.

Bushey in the second defended hard for a while as Jets, on the manager’s instruction, went hard for the first fifteen to ensure no early pushback that Jets so often allow their opponents to do.

Chris Blunden rattled the crossbar with a hammer shot (59 mins), but the reprieve was short lived for Bushey as the constant pressure paid off. Another jets scramble was desperately being defended when a Bushey defender handled a goal-bound shot and saw instant red for the offence.

Young Jets substitute Eli Seymour calmly slotted 3-0 (62 mins). It was like friends reunited for a few minutes as Bushey took off duel registered academy boss Warren Gladdy and Eman and Jets put on former Bushey player Sam Afolabi.

Both sides made the three changes, and the final third of the match became scrappy if not poor from Jets point of view. Bushey then went for broke to try to get back in the game.

Jets played keep ball of the mad type portrayed to the worst when one free-kick deep in Bushey territory a dozen touches later was back with their own keeper Rob Partington.

Bushey worked hard and got a hard-earned and deserved goal back. Jets, without doubt, did not put it in and just cruised to the end with some not impressing at all. Bushey Sports can hold their heads high tonight even in defeat.

Final score 3-1

A West Herts official was asked for the man of the match, and he picked Bushey Keeper Sam Styles. When pushed for Jets man of the match he went for Jude Bell, who he thought was the difference with his penetrating bursts forward through the Bushey midfield. He opened the gaps for Jets strikers and was solid defensively when the very able and nippy wingers attacked Jets.

Not mega convincing but the First Team join the excellent Reserves win on Saturday in quarter-final ties, so both have a semi-final to look forward to. The First Team in the St Marys cup at home to Leverstock Green, the Reserves in the Herts intermediate cup away to Hertford Town.