Powell backs Jersey Bulls to recover from play-off loss

Jersey Bulls ended the season with a 19-game unbeaten run [BBC]

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.