Bickley goal moves Bulls closer to play-off place

Lorne Bickley's late goal ensured Jersey Bulls remain in the driving seat for a play-off place as they won 1-0 at Beckenham Town.

The island side's top scorer struck with 11 minutes to go as Bulls won for the eighth time in nine games in Isthmian League South East.

It keeps the island side fourth in the table, six points clear of sixth-placed Faversham Town.

The island side need one more point from their final two games to guarantee a place in the play-offs, while one more win will secure them fourth position.

However, their superior goal difference - and Faversham having to face champions Three Bridges on the final day of the season - means it is unlikely the Bulls will miss out on post-season matches.

Bickley, Toby Ritzema and James Sunley all had good efforts in the opening 10 minutes against a Beckenham side who were already relegated.

Bickley went on to hit the crossbar while Miguel Carvalho also went close in a frustrating first half.

Jamie Watling headed against the bar after 62 minutes as the islanders continued to pile on the pressure, but it was not until the 79th minute that Bickley broke the deadlock as he rose highest to head home Carvalho's cross.

Beckenham threatened to equalise in the dying moments as Luke Watson cleared an effort off the line, but the island side held on as they remain unbeaten in 2026.

"It wasn't a great game," Bulls manager Elliot Powell told BBC Radio Jersey.

"It's an awful pitch, it's not the greatest place to come to be honest with you, so to get three points, I'm delighted.

"It's job done, it's the playoffs secured, and now let's try and hunt down third [place] if we can.

"I think we dominated. They're going to have chances - if you play 95 long balls a game you're going to have the odd second ball that falls your way, but actually we created really good chances, and if we'd gone in four or five up I don't think anyone could have argued."