Chiltern Railways FC faced off against Mindset United in a thrilling friendly match at St Michael's Catholic School on 13 July 2025, with the final score reading 4-6 in favour of the opponents. The match kicked off at 2:45pm and provided plenty of action for the spectators.
Chiltern Railways adopted a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Peter Brown in goal, supported by a back four comprising Sohaib Qamar on the right, Benn Stuart and Kieron Oliver in central defence, and Mike Taylor on the left. Shazad Edwards played as the lone central midfielder, while the attacking midfield trio featured Rafael-Andrei Antonie on the right, Hugh Trayte in the centre, and Kourosh Aminazam on the left. Up front, Chris Darke led the line as the striker. The substitutes available for Chiltern included Mandeep Assi, Hamza Hussain, Ali Doak, Jonathon Aldridge, Arlo Union, and Edward Kilby.
The match began with an early setback for Chiltern Railways, as Mindset United opened the scoring in the 8th minute with a stunning direct free-kick from long range, struck expertly with the left foot. This early goal set the tone for a high-scoring encounter.
Chiltern responded with tactical substitutions, bringing on Mandeep Assi for Kourosh Aminazam in the 19th minute, followed by Hamza Hussain replacing Rafael-Andrei Antonie just five minutes later. The changes aimed to bolster their midfield presence and regain control of the game.
However, Mindset United doubled their lead in the 28th minute, scoring from close range with a right-footed strike that left the Chiltern defence scrambling. The situation worsened for Chiltern when, just nine minutes later, Mindset United found the net again, this time with another close-range effort, making it 3-0.
Chiltern Railways made another substitution in the 33rd minute, introducing Jonathon Aldridge for Benn Stuart, as they sought to tighten their defensive line. Shortly after, in the 44th minute, Edward Kilby came on for Chris Darke, just before the half-time whistle blew.
At the break, Chiltern found themselves trailing 3-0, but the second half promised a fresh start. The first significant event after the interval came in the 56th minute when Sohaib Qamar pulled one back for Chiltern with a spectacular long-range strike, showcasing his attacking prowess from the right-back position.
Just two minutes later, an own goal from a Mindset United player further reduced the deficit, bringing the score to 3-2 and igniting hopes of a comeback for Chiltern. The momentum shifted, and the home side appeared revitalised.
However, Mindset United responded swiftly, scoring their fourth goal in the 72nd minute with a powerful shot from outside the box, extending their lead to 4-2. Yet, Chiltern Railways were not done yet; Kieron Oliver scored a brilliant lob from long range just a minute later, narrowing the gap to 4-3.
As the match progressed, the intensity heightened. In the 85th minute, Mindset United converted a penalty, pushing their lead to 5-3. Chiltern's Kourosh Aminazam then scored a stunning lob in the 86th minute, bringing the score to 5-4 and keeping the contest alive.
In the dying moments of the match, Mindset United sealed their victory with a final goal in the 88th minute, scoring from close range to make it 6-4. Despite a spirited performance from Chiltern Railways, they ultimately fell short in a match that showcased both teams' attacking flair and resilience.
