JERSEY’S Capita JFA Centre of Excellence year-9 football squad got off to an excellent start in the English Schools’ FA’s under-14 Isle of Wight Festival yesterday afternoon.

Boosted by two goals in the opening three minutes, Jersey’s youngsters went on to defeat the Isle of Wight 5-0 in the first of their four matches this week.

Jersey are in the Isle of Wight for the second time in two seasons but hopes of reaching a final again this year will not materialise as last year they played in a schools’ based tournament while this year’s is a Festival run by the ESFA.

Jersey coach Tony Hoyland said: ‘We were told at the opening ceremony that this is a festival, there are no trophies or shields for the winners; it is purely competitive games against other counties and teams. It was different last year as it was a schools’ based tournament.’

Jersey squad: Ryan Le Couteur, Rudi Howard, Marc McKain, Elliot Poole, Liam Spencer, Matthew Rondel, Nick Carpenter, Jamie Mourant, Charlie Petulla, Calvin Weir, Tom Turquet, Bradley Stratford, Corey Romeril, Asher Moyse, Tom Hooper and Jordan Le Guyader.