Preston Manor Royals Dominate Crawley United 9-0 At Falmer Sports Complex

Preston Manor Royals welcomed Crawley United to the Falmer Sports Complex on 11 October 2025 for a cup tie kick-starting at 2:00pm. The Royals produced a stunning display of attacking football to run out comfortable 9-0 victors in a match that was never in doubt. Referee Steve Baker oversaw the 92 minutes plus added time with impeccable control, ensuring the game flowed smoothly.

Preston Manor Royals lined up in a 4-1-2-3 formation, setting the tone for an expansive and attacking style of play. Ryan Thompson guarded the goal, supported by a defensive line of Sam Copeland at right back, Adam Arnold and Yassir Lekbir as central defenders, and Gillan Williams on the left. Dominic Hewitt operated as the lone holding midfielder, tasked with breaking up Crawley’s play and distributing the ball forward. Ahead of him, Musa Omar and Valery Jingwa took up the right and left attacking midfield roles respectively, expected to link midfield and attack with creativity and pace. The front three consisted of Jake Atherton on the right wing, Carlton Najomo leading the line as striker, and João Pedro Miranda on the left wing, all charged with stretching the opposition defence and converting chances. The bench included Harvey Cagney, Daren Calver, Matt Howard, Daniel Clark, and Mike Serrão.

The scoring began early with Jake Atherton opening the floodgates in the 13th minute. Receiving the ball inside the box, Atherton expertly finished with his left foot from close range, setting the tone for the Royals’ relentless attacking onslaught. Just seven minutes later, Valery Jingwa added a second with a goalmouth scramble, again using his left foot to poke the ball home amid a frantic goalmouth melee.

Preston Manor’s dominance continued as Gillan Williams, the left back, ventured forward to score in the 33rd minute. Dominic Hewitt’s long pass found Williams inside the box, and the defender coolly slotted the ball home with his right foot. Three minutes later, Jake Atherton struck again, this time assisted by João Pedro Miranda’s short pass, to double his tally with another precise left-footed finish inside the box.

The Royals were relentless, and in the 40th minute, Carlton Najomo got on the scoresheet with a right-footed finish inside the box, following a long pass from Sam Copeland. This goal completed a dominant first half for Preston Manor, who led 5-0 at the break.

At half-time, the Royals made three substitutions to freshen the side. Harvey Cagney replaced Sam Copeland at right back, Daren Calver came on for João Pedro Miranda on the left wing, and Matt Howard took over from Musa Omar in the right attacking midfield role. These changes did not slow the Royals’ momentum.

Early in the second half, Jake Atherton completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute, receiving a short pass from Daren Calver and finishing with his trademark left foot following a well-worked team move. Shortly after, Atherton was substituted off for Daniel Clark, while Mike Serrão replaced Valery Jingwa.

Carlton Najomo then took centre stage, scoring a hat-trick of his own. He netted his second goal in the 58th minute with a left-footed finish inside the box, followed by a third in the 63rd minute, again with his left foot. Najomo’s final goal came in the 70th minute, a close-range finish inside the box, expertly assisted by Daniel Clark’s flick.

Dominic Hewitt’s commanding presence in midfield was pivotal throughout the match, breaking up Crawley’s attempts to build attacks and orchestrating Preston Manor’s forward play with precision. His contribution earned him the player of the match accolade.

Preston Manor Royals’ comprehensive 9-0 victory was a statement of intent in this cup tie, showcasing clinical finishing, tactical discipline, and squad depth. Crawley United were unable to cope with the relentless pressure and quality of their opponents on the day. The Royals will take great confidence from this dominant performance as they progress further in the competition.