Weather and Pitch Conditions

The match was played under bright sunshine, though a strong and bitterly cold wind swept in from the east. The pitch had recovered remarkably well following the previous Copthorne fixture, thanks to the outstanding voluntary efforts of the ground staff, which made the surface playable despite challenging conditions.

Team News

• Unavailable: Steve Herbert (Captain, Defender), Luke Felon (Defender), Harrison Mott (Midfielder), Joe Futers (Midfield), Sam Pearson (Striker)
• Injured: Jack Spinks
• Suspended: Liam Brady
• Squad Additions: Iker Naylor, Will Breden, Louie Fulkner

Match Report

Arundel FC hosted East Preston FC at Mill Road, aiming to recover from their recent 2-3 home defeat to Jarvis Brook. As ever with these local rivals, the game was physically intense and competitive. Arundel started strongly and settled first, earning an early lead when Zac Bignell’s speculative effort found the net, aided by a misjudgement from East Preston’s goalkeeper Matt Gibb. Gibb redeemed himself soon after with an excellent save from Harry Russell’s powerful shot.

The remainder of the first half was a battle in midfield, with limited clear-cut chances. East Preston’s Morgan Day came closest for the visitors, striking the Arundel crossbar after a good solo run. Arundel continued to test the East Preston keeper, notably through Harry Russell and Henry Breden. The half ended with Arundel leading 1-0.

The second half continued in a similar vein, dominated by midfield tussles. Arundel suffered setbacks, losing Sam Conolly and Billy Ground to what looked like serious ankle injuries, both likely to be out for sometime.

Their replacements, young talents Louie Fulkner and Will Breden, acquitted themselves well, as did 16-year-old Iker Naylor, who impressed at right back after coming on as a substitute.

Arundel showed resilience to maintain their slender lead and should really have gone 2 v 0 up late on when Henry Breden was fouled in the area to give Daegan Walsh the chance to score from the resulting penalty, however, Matt Gibb made a good save, therefore, the scored remained the same , securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory and 3 points . This result moved Arundel up to fifth in the table, with a game in hand, that could see them rise to second place if won.

Attendance and Player of the Match

• Attendance: 120

• Man of the Match: Olly Claydon (Sponsored By Harvey Works Ltd)

Next Fixture

Arundel’s next game is against AFC Walcontians in the County Div 1 Challenge Cup Quarter-final at Mill Road, Arundel.

The previous attempt at this fixture was abandoned at halftime due to a waterlogged pitch.

The match will kick off at 15:00 on Saturday 3rd January 2026. Supporters are encouraged to attend and cheer on the team in what promises to be an entertaining encounter, with both sides currently in good form.