Abbey Villa F.C 2nds faced off against 2B side Greenwell Star in a friendly match at the Westwinds Playing Fields on 23 August 2025, kicking off at 2:00pm. The match concluded with a resounding 4-0 victory for Abbey Villa, showcasing their attacking prowess and defensive solidity throughout the game.
Abbey Villa set up in a 4-3-3 formation, which allowed them to utilise width and maintain control in the midfield. Ross Murray donned the gloves as the goalkeeper, while a back four comprised of James Edwards and Curtis Shannon as the right and left defenders respectively, with Jake Rainey and Matthew Edwards forming the central defensive partnership. The midfield trio featured James King on the right, Louis Gault-Reid in the centre, and Marcus McGrath on the left, providing both creativity and support to the forwards. Up front, Thomas Drysdale operated on the right, with Carson Mann in the central striker role and Kyle Irwin on the left, tasked with exploiting the flanks and creating goal-scoring opportunities.
The substitutes for Abbey Villa included Charlie Nelson, James Boyd, and Mark Gilliland, who were all poised to make an impact as the match progressed.
The scoring opened in the 26th minute when Carson Mann found the back of the net, expertly converting a short pass from James King inside the box with his right foot. This early goal set the tone for Abbey Villa's dominance as they continued to press forward. Just six minutes later, Mann turned provider, assisting Thomas Drysdale, who also scored with a right-footed effort from inside the area, doubling Abbey Villa's lead to 2-0.
As the first half drew to a close, Kyle Irwin had a chance to extend the lead further but his headed attempt sailed high over the bar in the 39th minute. The half-time whistle blew shortly after, with Abbey Villa comfortably ahead.
The second half began with tactical substitutions for Abbey Villa, bringing on Charlie Nelson, James Boyd, and Mark Gilliland, which saw a reshuffle in the midfield and forward positions. Boyd made an immediate impact with an attempt in the 50th minute, but his shot also went high.
In the 56th minute, Ross Murray showcased his goalkeeping skills by saving a penalty, maintaining Abbey Villa's clean sheet and further demoralising the Greenwell Star side. Tactical changes continued to unfold as Marcus McGrath replaced Curtis Shannon in the 60th minute, followed by Kyle Irwin coming on for Carson Mann, and James King replacing Louis Gault-Reid in the 68th minute.
The scoring resumed in the 70th minute when Kyle Irwin, now back on the pitch, netted a solo goal after receiving a short pass from Thomas Drysdale, bringing the score to 3-0. The final goal of the match came in the 82nd minute when James Boyd expertly volleyed home from a cross delivered by Carson Mann, sealing the emphatic 4-0 victory for Abbey Villa.
The match highlighted Abbey Villa's attacking flair and solid defensive organisation, with Marcus McGrath earning the accolade of Man of the Match for his influential performance in midfield.
