Tadley lacking goals but secure important point against Jersey Bulls

Tadley Calleva earned a hard-fought point following a 0-0 draw with Combined Counties Premier Division South promotion contenders Jersey Bulls on Tuesday.

The Bulls arrived at Barlows Park in fourth in the league, but with a number of games-in-hand on all three of the sides above them and the league title still realistically within their reach.

It might not have been a classic for the spectators that braved the cold and cancelled Valentine's plans but it was a much-needed positive result for the hosts, who have endured a difficult start to 2023.

On Saturday, Tadley suffered a 1-0 defeat at Combined strugglers Horley Town.

It didn’t start well for the visitors who were behind after a quarter of an hour when Matthew Rapson released Daniel Duncanson, who cut inside and fired a shot in off the inside of the post to hand the Surrey side, who had lost all of their last four games, a 1-0 lead.

There followed one of the more bizarre incidents of the season - the kind of chaos that can only be caused at this level – 10 minutes after the opener when returning stopper Atkinson was sin-binned for dissent, meaning the visitors were forced to play the next 10 minutes without a goalkeeper.

Somehow, Tadley survived without Atkinson until he was re-introduced in the 39th minute, a 13 minute absence that last three minutes longer than planned after the referee decided to extend his punishment due to a break in play following a Horley injury, and five minutes later the man in the middle blew for half time with the score 1-0, bringing to an end one of the most unusual first periods even seen at the New Defence Stadium.

Tadley huffed and puffed in the second half but were unable to blow Horley’s defence down, creating a succession of half chances without beating George Hyde in the home side’s goal, who held on to his clean sheet to wrap up Horley’s first win in five.

The Tadders have failed to score in five of their last eight games but will be hoping to find the back of the net this weekend with a trip to 13th-placed Alton before their midweek Hampshire Senior Cup tie with Premier League side AFC Bournemouth.

"What a week," Ben Dillon, Tadley's joint-manager, Ben Dillon, said.

"With such a long break, it almost feels like we're starting again, it's very difficult.

"I felt like we should've won on Saturday, we created a lot of chances but didn't take them.

"We were so much better on Tuesday, we were back to something like our best.

"We know in-house what we need, I think we'll also benefit from a decent run of games, the break's killed us a little bit.

"We've got a real big run of games but we are getting there."