Powell backs Jersey Bulls to recover from play-off loss

Jersey Bulls manager Elliot Powell has backed his "resilient" players to recover from their play-off semi-final disappointment.

The island side lost 4-3 on penalties to AFC Whyteleafe on Tuesday in the Isthmian League South East play-offs.

It means a second season in the eighth-tier league for the islanders, who finished third this season after winning promotion via the play-offs a year ago.

"We'll dust ourselves down and the preparation for next season starts next week," Powell told BBC Radio Jersey.

"We've been in this position before, we've lost semi-finals before, these lads have lost big games before and that's why they're the big players, that's why they're the best players in the island - they've got a level of resilience which staggers me on a daily basis.

"We talk about resilience every week, going away three times a week and spending 50 hours volunteering for this football club."

Bulls have been at the top end of each league they have played in since their formation in 2019.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, they have always finished in the top four in their divisions - they were beaten in the Combined Counties Premier Division South play-offs two years ago after finishing second in their league.

Last season they topped the division, but after having points docked for fielding a banned player, had to win promotion via the play-offs.

This season they finished third in their eighth-tier league - the highest-ever finish by a Channel island side in the English league system.

"These lads for Whyteleafe are delighted they get another game and obviously I'm sure if they go up they get some promotion bonuses as well," added Powell.

"Our lads don't have any of that and that's why the emotion is so raw for these guys.

"They play for the badge, they play for their families, they play for the island.

"I think they've represented the island unbelievably well this year; just a few penalty kicks doesn't change anything in my opinion about that."