JERSEY’S under-15 schoolboy footballers won through the third round of the English Schools’ Cup following an excellent 2-1 win away to Portsmouth on Saturday.

At Moneyfields FC, just outside Portsmouth, Jersey took the sizeable scalp of the south-coast city for a rare ESC victory after goals from captain Elijah Hotton and Kamen Nafkha.

Under the guidance of teachers and Jersey and Grouville FC players Russell Le Feuvre (Haute Vallée) and Craig Northedge (Les Quennevais), Jersey started positively and they had the greater possession in the first 20 minutes.

Two minutes later, from a well-worked set piece, centre forward and captain Elijah Hotton pounced on a ball just inside the penalty area and while side on he struck a low left-foot volley sweetly into a corner to give Jersey the lead.

Portsmouth crept back into the game as Jersey adjusted to their more physical and fast paced opponents but although physically a much bigger side, Portsmouth found it hard to break down the tough tackling Jersey defence which was well marshalled throughout by central defender Clayton Romeril.

With roll-on roll-off substitutes, striker Nafkha, who was being tightly marked and was a constant threat, came off for ten minutes for treatment which allowed the fresh legs of Ryan Connon to test the Portsmouth defence.

Eight minutes before half time when Portsmouth were enjoying a good spell they broke down Jersey’s left and getting behind the defence they pulled the ball back across the goal for a tap-in equaliser.

Jersey weathered the storm and they ended the half the stronger.

Hotton broke clear of the defence and he went close to restoring Jersey’s lead with a lobbed effort over the oncoming goalkeeper from 20 yards.

Harrison Jukes and Andrew Gee provided a constant stream of excellent crosses into the area from wide positions as Jersey went close several times.

Jersey, in their first game together after just four weeks of training, began the second period positively.

They were on top for the majority of the half as midfielders Jake Baker and Pakowon Follon matched their two six-foot plus Portsmouth central midfielders.

After 54 minutes Nafkha met a cross at the far post to head Jersey into a 2-1 lead.

Jersey then missed the opportunity to go further ahead as Pakowon went close with a 25-yard volley and then Nafkha hit the bottom of the post.

With ten minutes remaining Portsmouth pressed forward and Jersey goalkeeper Curtiss Hinault, who had had a quiet game up until then, was brought into action with several fine saves.

The Jersey lads will recommence training next Monday and they can now look forward to a home match, on a date to be decided, against Woking or Andover or last year’s runners-up Poole and East Dorset.

Jersey squad: Daniel Le Couteur, Curtiss Hinault, Daniel Berry, Clayton Romeril, Jamie Bowkett, Ciaran Devereux, Matthew Rondel, George Houzé, Andrew Gee, Jake Baker, Pakowon Follon, Harrison Dukes, Kamen Nafka, Elijah Hotton and Ryan Connon.