Preston Manor Royals 3 vs 1 AFC Varndeanians Reserves

Preston Manor Royals hosted AFC Varndeanians Reserves at Portslade Sports Centre 3G on 31 October 2026, with kick-off at 2:00pm in a league home match. The Royals emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline after 98 minutes of competitive football, showcasing resilience and attacking intent throughout the contest.

Preston Manor Royals lined up in a 4-1-2-3 formation, deploying Ryan Thompson in goal behind a back four of Luke Hendy at right back, Albert Collings and Adam Arnold as central defenders, and Gillan Williams on the left. Dominic Hewitt operated as the lone holding midfielder, shielding the defence and recycling possession. Ahead of him, Michael Russell took up the right attacking midfield role, with Valery Jingwa on the left, both expected to support the front three. The attacking trio consisted of Gary Valaydon on the right forward position, Jack Trotter leading the line as striker, and Jake Atherton on the left forward flank. The substitutes named were Daniel Clark, Tipu Miah, and Sam Copeland.

The match began with Preston Manor Royals eager to impose themselves. Early attempts came from Jack Trotter, who fired wide in the sixth minute, signalling the Royals’ attacking intent. Ryan Thompson was called into action shortly after, making a crucial parry in the ninth minute to keep the score level. Preston’s left back Gillan Williams also tested the opposition goalkeeper with a shot saved in the tenth minute.

However, the Royals found themselves behind in the 13th minute through an unfortunate own goal by AFC Varndeanians Reserves, who headed the ball into their own net from close range. The setback was short-lived as Preston responded immediately. Just a minute later, Jake Atherton delivered a precise long pass that set up Gary Valaydon, who calmly finished with his right foot inside the box to level the scores at 1-1.

Ryan Thompson continued to demonstrate his reliability between the sticks, comfortably catching a cross in the 19th minute. Jack Trotter remained a constant threat, though his shot was saved in the 23rd minute. Jake Atherton’s effort went wide in the 33rd minute, while Thompson produced a full-stretch save to deny the opponents in the 39th minute. Trotter’s persistence was evident again as he saw another shot saved just before half-time at the 45th minute mark.

The first half concluded with Preston Manor Royals and AFC Varndeanians Reserves locked at 1-1, setting up an intriguing second period.

Early in the second half, Valery Jingwa tested the opposition goalkeeper with a saved attempt in the 51st minute. Adam Arnold’s effort soared high over the bar in the 54th minute, and Jingwa’s shot went wide four minutes later. Ryan Thompson remained alert, catching a cross in the 59th minute, while Luke Hendy’s high attempt followed in the 60th minute.

The Royals made their first substitution in the 68th minute, with Daniel Clark replacing Michael Russell to inject fresh energy into midfield. This change paid dividends immediately as Valery Jingwa scored a composed left-footed finish inside the box in the 69th minute, putting Preston Manor Royals ahead 2-1.

Thompson’s goalkeeping heroics continued with a series of catches in the 76th and 77th minutes, followed by a parry in the 78th minute, keeping the Royals in control. Two further substitutions came in the 82nd minute as Tipu Miah replaced Jack Trotter and Sam Copeland came on for Luke Hendy, signalling a tactical shift to maintain the lead.

Jake Atherton nearly extended the advantage in the 84th minute when his shot struck the crossbar. The Royals made a final substitution in the 87th minute, bringing Jack Trotter back on for Atherton to bolster the attack once more.

The closing stages saw some disciplinary moments, with an AFC Varndeanians Reserves player booked for dissent in the 88th minute, followed by a yellow card for Valery Jingwa for a bad tackle a minute later. Ryan Thompson remained composed, catching and parrying shots in the 90th minute to deny the opposition any chance of a comeback.

In the 91st minute, Jack Trotter’s attempt went wide, but the Royals sealed the victory in the 95th minute when Valery Jingwa scored his second goal of the match. Assisted by Gary Valaydon’s set-up, Jingwa’s left-footed finish inside the box confirmed a 3-1 triumph for Preston Manor Royals.

The referee, Brent Pettit, officiated the match with authority and consistency, contributing to a well-managed game. With this win, Preston Manor Royals demonstrated their attacking prowess and defensive resilience, securing three valuable points on home soil.