With the 102nd Muratti Vase Final weeks away we caught up with Jersey FA Senior Men’s Manager Martin Cassidy to see how the squad was preparing ahead of the Final.

You picked a different squad for this weekend's match against Essex & Suffolk Boarder League. What did you make of you squads performance? 

"With all the pressure on players and drama surrounding the fixture pile up; this goes down as one of my most satisfying winning performances. I can’t praise the players enough for the way they all came in and played.

Every players attitude was spot on, they listened to everything asked of them and delivered the game plan perfectly. A special mention to the 6 young players from the CoE u18s & u21s that came in. Birrell, Coutanche and Batty where excellent all game. I was really please for Jack Griffin who scored the winner and I thought he had a good match against a very good left winger.

We thought that all the players that came in today done really well. It was another good team performance for Jersey with some excellent individual performance too.

Getting to see players and giving them more game time than they may have got before was a good exercise for me and my coaches. We now know that we have more players available for my senior men’s squads going forward. Competition for places is something I have been trying to create since I took the job, as I think it pushes every player to be more committed, train harder and play at their best when representing Jersey."

Three wins and three positive performances in the build up to the Muratti Vase Final, what’s behind your recent run of results?

"We know that we under achieved last season albeit with some decent performances in certain games. This year we have played better, scored more goals and conceded less so that’s the main difference. I have always believed that when we are focused and disciplined we are capable of the performances we have seen in the last 3 games. We need to keep playing the right way and results will keep going our way. Anything less and it could be a repeat of last season and we can’t allow that to happen."

After losing your Captain Cavaghn Miley to a career in professional football with Eastleigh FC. You have appointed Jack Boyle as Captain how has Boyle taken to leading the dressing room?

"Very well, he is a natural leader on the pitch and I wanted him to channel that in the right way for the benefit of the team. I’ve given him the responsibility to lead the team going forward. I think he has took his game to another level this season and I want him to keep bringing those high standards into the team while encouraging other players to do the same."

This is your second Muratti Vase Final as senior manager, what have you learnt from last year’s defeat?

"To be more ruthless with my squad selection and not to let sentiment get into my team selection. I’ve also went for a different balance in the team this year with more midfield players in the starting line-up than forwards. The players are enjoying it and its working well."