BULLS CRASH TO FIRST EVER LOSS

WITH 32 minutes played of the first-half, a rusty Jersey Bulls looked to have been handed an easier route to a 37th consecutive victory.

- David Richardson

Beckenham winger Stefan Cox talked himself into being shown a straight red card at a time when the hosts were holding their own.

But having not even played a friendly since October 20, the Bulls only looked good in flashes and their performance was epitomised when captain Luke Campbell tripped Archie Johnson in the box.

Reds forward Steve Townsend tucked away the penalty early in the second half and then had goalkeeper Nick Blue to thank for a flurry of heroic saves although Cox would have been the most relieved.

“He didn’t need to do that and made it a very difficult game for us,” Beckenham manager Jason Huntly told The NLP. “But it is a very good start the season, we wanted to win our first game.