JERSEY Nomads kicked off their JFA Willis Cup campaign last night with a 3-2 victory against Magpies at Les Quennevais.

Three goals in a 20-minute period put Nomads in the driving seat only for the ‘Pies to net just before half time and then again seven minutes after the resumption.

Great control from Ged O’Donoghue helped put Ben Doherty through and he opened the scoring.

Carl Winn made it 2-0 following a goalmouth mêlée before Jamie Racjan netted his first ever goal for Nomads to make it 3-0.

Matt Pamplin’s shear endeavour reduced the deficit before Manny Fernandes scored a brilliant Magpies second by taking the ball on his chest then flicking it over a defender before hitting a bottom corner.

Nomads manager Peter Herridge said: ‘It was scrappy to start with but we then took over to run up a three-goal lead.

We were a bit complacent after that and Magpies got a goal back.

‘We had to change things because of injuries but full credit to Magpies they pushed us hard second half.

We were always dangerous on the break but they could well have taken us to extra time.’ Magpies manager Kenny Addison said: ‘Matt and Manny took time to play a different system in attack last night and in the end I felt we deserved an extra 30 minutes.

‘I’ve nothing but praise for my lads, Nomads will be in the promotion hunt this season and but for ten minutes lack of concentration in defence we might have been looking at a different result today.

‘We made mistakes and hopefully we will learn the lesson that everyone must concentrate for 90 minutes.’ Jersey Nomads now play St Brelade Reserves in the first round at Les Quennevais on Tuesday 4 October.