In a tightly contested cup match held at the Falmer Sports Complex on 7 December 2024, Preston Manor Royals emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win over BN Dons. The match kicked off at 3:00 pm, and despite a spirited performance from both sides, it was the Royals who secured their place in the next round with a decisive goal early in the first half.
The Royals lined up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for quick transitions into attack. Adrian Bajka took his position in goal, shielded by a back four consisting of Sam Copeland on the right, Jake Burton and Adam Arnold in central defence, and Gillan Williams on the left. The midfield trio featured Daniel Clarke on the right, Dominic Hewitt centrally, and Valery Jingwa on the left, while Reece Coughlan and Marlon Perrin operated as attacking midfielders behind lone striker Kevin Wokabi. The substitutes for the match included Jaegan Roberts, Stiven Lopes, and Jake Nurse.
The match began with an early attempt from Wokabi, who headed wide in the second minute, signalling the Royals' intent. Just seven minutes later, the breakthrough came when Wokabi provided a long pass to Coughlan, who expertly slotted the ball home with his right foot from inside the box, giving the Royals a 1-0 lead.
As the first half progressed, the Royals faced a few offside calls, with Copeland mistiming his run in the 18th minute, although the decision was deemed incorrect. Gillan Williams was not as fortunate, as his offside in the 26th minute was correctly flagged. Marlon Perrin had a chance to extend the lead in the 32nd minute but missed the target, shooting wide.
Defensively, the Royals were solid, with Gillan Williams committing a late tackle in the 39th minute, though it did not result in a penalty. Bajka showcased his goalkeeping skills by catching a cross just before half-time, and he was also involved in a crucial moment when Arnold blocked a shot to prevent a chance for BN Dons as the half drew to a close.
The second half began with a flurry of activity, as Perrin had a shot saved in the 49th minute, followed by another attempt that went wide just a minute later. Bajka continued to impress, making a catch in the 51st minute and later parrying a shot in the 76th minute, demonstrating his importance to the Royals' defensive efforts.
In the 54th minute, the Royals were forced into a substitution due to an injury to Copeland, with Jaegan Roberts coming on to replace him. As the match wore on, Bajka's heroics continued, as he caught another cross in the 68th minute and made a full-stretch save in the 83rd minute to keep the Dons at bay.
With the clock ticking down, the Royals made further substitutions, bringing on Stiven Lopes for Perrin in the 85th minute and Jake Nurse for Roberts in the 91st minute. Lopes had a late chance to add to the scoreline but shot high in the 91st minute.
As the final whistle blew after 93 minutes of play, the Preston Manor Royals celebrated their hard-fought victory, with Adrian Bajka earning the accolade of Player of the Match for his outstanding performance in goal. The Royals will now look forward to their next challenge in the cup, buoyed by this crucial win.
