Depleted Jersey Bulls squad impressing boss Powell

Jersey Bulls have won eight and drawn the other four of their 12 league games this season

Jersey Bulls manager Elliott Powell says he is pleased with how his side are coping with their injury problems.

The islanders remain unbeaten in Combined Counties Premier South after a 0-0 draw at fellow high-fliers Cobham.

Powell, who has yet to taste defeat since taking over in the summer, sees his side fourth in the table with games in hand on the sides above.

"At our worst we had 13 players out of a 26-man squad, so clearly that gives its challenges," he told BBC Radio Jersey.

"We're nearing some sort of return for a couple of those lads and hopefully add two back to the squad next week, maybe a third if Harry Curtis can get through training next week."

Powell's side have kept six successive clean sheets and let in just six goals in 12 games this season.

"It's been difficult, but credit to the lads that have taken it as an opportunity to really stamp their authority on the team and especially Sammy Sutcliffe coming in at centre back and being a part of five of those six clean sheets.

"It shows there will be opportunities for lads and, if they take them they, will be rewarded with a run in the team."

Bulls are seven points off leaders Redhill with two games in hand and three points off the two sides immediately above them knowing winning their games in hand would take them into the top two.

"I always think we should be in and around the play-offs as an absolute minimum," Powell added.

"What this start has given us is a platform to potentially challenge higher than that.

"What we can see from the league is that it's extremely competitive, it's extremely tight at the top end of it, there's not much to choose between the better sides and Cobham certainly are going to be one of those better sides.

"We're in the discussion which is the least we can really ask for and hope for at the moment, so we're delighted with that.

"Hopefully we'll get a few more bodies back and we can we can accelerate a little bit and put ourselves firmly in the mix come the end of the season."