Preston Manor Royals Edged Out 3-2 By Warlingham At Falmer Sports Complex

Preston Manor Royals hosted Warlingham at the Falmer Sports Complex on 29 November 2025, with kick-off at 3:00pm in a keenly contested league fixture. The Royals ultimately fell to a narrow 3-2 defeat after a pulsating 90 minutes of football, despite a spirited fightback in the second half.

The Royals lined up in a 4-1-2-3 formation, deploying a solid defensive unit and an attacking trio expected to stretch the opposition. Ryan Thompson took his place between the sticks as goalkeeper, shielded by a back four consisting of Sam Copeland at right-back, Dominic Hewitt and Yassir Lekbir as central defenders, and Gillan Williams on the left. Matt Howard operated as the lone holding midfielder, tasked with breaking up play and distributing from deep. Ahead of him, Valery Jingwa and Daniel Clark occupied the right and left attacking midfield roles respectively, charged with linking midfield to attack and creating chances. The front three featured Jake Atherton on the right wing, Carlton Najomo leading the line as striker, and Joel Mbimbo Miguel on the left wing. The substitutes bench included Joel Hallstan, Daren Calver, Harvey Cagney, and João Pedro Miranda.

Warlingham made an explosive start, taking the lead inside five minutes when their player unleashed a left-footed strike from outside the box that flew past Thompson. The Royals struggled to settle after this early setback and found themselves further behind on 24 minutes as Warlingham capitalised on a set-piece, heading home a close-range effort to double their advantage.

Preston Manor Royals responded with determination and were awarded a penalty on 29 minutes, which Valery Jingwa confidently dispatched with his left foot to halve the deficit. The first half concluded with Warlingham still ahead 2-1, setting up a tense second period.

Just three minutes after the restart, Warlingham restored their two-goal cushion with another headed goal, compounding the Royals’ defensive woes. The home side’s frustration showed when Sam Copeland received a yellow card for persistent infringements in the 52nd minute.

Shortly after, tactical changes began as Joel Hallstan replaced Valery Jingwa on 53 minutes. The Royals continued to shuffle their pack with Daren Calver coming on for the booked Copeland and Harvey Cagney entering for Daniel Clark, both substitutions occurring around the 65th minute mark.

The introduction of Cagney proved pivotal as he provided a neat short pass inside the box to Carlton Najomo, who finished clinically with his right foot on 74 minutes to bring Preston Manor Royals back into the contest at 3-2. The Royals pressed for an equaliser and made a final change with João Pedro Miranda replacing Joel Mbimbo Miguel on 75 minutes, hoping fresh legs could spark a comeback.

Despite their best efforts, Preston Manor Royals were unable to find the leveller, and Warlingham held firm to secure all three points. Najomo’s performance stood out as he was named player of the match for his vital goal and overall contribution up front.

The referee maintained excellent control throughout, rated highly for his management of the game. With this result, Preston Manor Royals will look to regroup and build on their attacking promise in upcoming fixtures.