Matt Jackson had limited game time in his debut for the Sussex Thunder. (Picture by Paul Campbell, official photographer for the Farnham Knights)

MATT JACKSON made his British American Football Association Premier League debut for the Sussex Thunder in their opening game of the season last weekend.

After more than a year of training with local team the Guernsey Islanders, and a positive showing at two Great Britain try-outs, Jackson was in the Thunder team which lost 32-12 away at the Farnham Knights.

The Knights were coached by the Islanders head coach, Steve Rains, for many years before his move to Guernsey.

Coach Rains was on hand to see the young receiver make his entry onto the field in a tough game.

‘It was a day of mixed emotions for me. Naturally, I wanted to see Matt do well, but it was difficult not to want my former club, which still contains many of the players and coaches from my time there, to win, especially as they were quarterbacked by the starting QB from my last year’s GB Lions youth team, who was also making his senior debut.’