Jersey Bulls go down to 2-1 Alton defeat at Springfield

Jersey Bulls finished fourth in Combined Counties League Premier Division South last season

Jersey Bulls dropped to fourth place in Combined Counties Premier Division South after a 2-1 home loss to Alton.

Bulls' trailed at the break after Scott Sanderson finished past Pierce Roche following a swift counter-attack despite Lorne Bickley, Fraser Barlow and Jonny Le Quesne all going close.

Bickley slotted home an equaliser for the islanders after an hour.

But fifth-placed Alton got the winner eight minutes later when Jamie Phillips tapped in a long throw at the far post.

"We came into the game thinking we were more than capable of getting the win, but it was a tough afternoon," Bulls manager Gary Freeman told BBC Radio Jersey.

"Credit Alton, they probably deserved it in the end, I thought they came out and played with an aggression and a tempo that we didn't quite cope with in the first half.

"I thought second half we were much better, got ourselves back in it and probably had a couple of chances, but they scored from a long throw which has given them the victory, but it's disappointing."