Camberley Town U18s 2-2 Hampton & Richmond Borough U18s
Isthmian Youth League, West Division
Thursday, 29th January 2026
Krooner Park, 7.45pm KO
Pre-Match/Build-up
Tommy Rance picked me up from the corner of Bridge Way and Short Way at 6.30pm. We zoomed over to Sunbury Cross in light traffic to meet Casey Jones and headed onto the M3 towards Camberley. Founded in 1895, this Surrey club play their home fixtures at Krooner Park in the centre of town, just off the Frimley Road. On Wednesday afternoon Tommy and fellow supporter Jack Pinsett had visited Bedfont Sports for our Under 19s Youth Development League fixture against Chelsea Foundation Yellows. The Under 19 lads enjoyed a 3-0 victory, their first win of the season. Tonight was all about the Under 18s though and we arrived at Krooner Park by 19.15, in good time for the 19.45 kick-off. After a quick stroll around the deserted clubhouse, we joined Robin Moseley and Andy Laishley in the seating next to the tunnel. We observed the warm-ups, noting that Jack Griffin was a significant absence from the side tonight. Tommy, Casey and I attempted to stand behind the goal but a steward stopped us in our tracks, notifying us that league rules prevented spectators from standing behind the goals... first I've heard of it. Anyway, back to the seating along the halfway line we retreated. Camberley charged £5 admission for adults, accepting cash or card. Hot drinks were being served and the clubhouse was open.
First Half
Hampton wore their all-royal blue away kit as the players stepped out onto a bobbly and patchy grass pitch in cold conditions. Lucius Russel in the Hampton goal sported all yellow. Camberley were in their home colours of red and white stripes, dark blue shorts and red socks, their keeper had a striking emerald green kit. The most obvious feature of Krooner Park is the heavily sloped pitch. Hampton began the fixture shooting down the slope, towards the turnstiles and car park. During the early exchanges Finn McGreevy struggled to control the ball, thanks to an unexpected bounce, losing out to a Camberley player, but the danger passed. It was McGreevy on the ball again for Hampton's first proper attack, as the Egham Town loanee whipped in a cross from the right, Joel Doherty thought about a bicycle kick but, surrounded, didn't commit and the ball was cleared. Hampton had lined up with Lucius Russel between the sticks, behind a back four of Seve Cushing (right); Stan Smith (left); Ibrahim Nawaz (left centre) and new signing George Starr (right centre) - Starr was at Hanworth Villa prior to their Under 18s side folding - in front of the back four sat the familiar defensive midfield pairing of Tom Maddigan (left) and Archie McKenna (right). An attacking midfield trio of Finn McGrevy (right), skipper Joel Doherty (centre) and Kai Cooper (left) fed the front man, Tyler Andrew-Flower.
Seve Cushing's endeavours along the right won a corner for the Beavers in the tenth minute but it was headed away. Tom Maddigan received the first booking of the evening in the 11th minute, after a robust challenge on Camberley's Josh Ewing on the halfway line. In fact, there were several hefty tackles flying in all over the pitch during this stage of the game, resulting in four or five different Camberley players hitting the deck during the opening 20 minutes or so. In the 19th minute the hosts squandered a free kick opportunity from one of these challenges. A low shot was blasted in the direction of Lucius Russel who gathered with ease. In the 22nd minute livewire Finn McGreevy took on the hosts' Ewan Talbot and rounded him, sliding a tempting ball into the box, it was initially cleared but then fell to left back Stan Smith, who shot from some range, clattering the crossbar. Hampton started to dominate proceedings. Tyler Andrew-Flower picked up a loose ball but couldn't carry it with him thanks to the playing surface. The Beavers carved out other half chances but the score remained level after 25 minutes. Camberley's midfielder Kris Eccleston, sporting a rather impressive afro haircut, got back and mucked in with some defensive work, muscling Joel Doherty off the ball and clearing it (Joel is about half his size). "I need somebody to run... I need runners in behind" came the instruction from the Hampton dugout as the coaches encouraged the away side to press home the advantage (in the technical area for Hampton tonight were Steve Bates, Martyn Hyde and Johnny Doherty). Tyler Andrew-Flower had a penalty claim waved away before Tom Maddigan struck a shot wide.
In the 29th minute the first substitution of the game took place. Camberley's injured Erim Dinctop was replaced by Luca Boebar. Hampton eventually took the lead on the half hour mark but the goal was dubious to say the least. Stan Smith took a corner kick from the right, it curled towards goal, Camberley's keeper Dom West grabbed the ball then inexplicably fell into his own net, or as Camberley claimed, was bundled in! We've given this as an own goal, although Stan Smith may try to claim it. "Do your job lino", protested Camberley's left winger Lewis Mandaza, angry at lino Alex Gray's supposed failure to spot a foul on West. The referee, Tom Fondie, had discussed the matter with Gray before concluding the goal stood. There was a funny incident moments later when a free kick was awarded to Hampton for a shove on our keeper. "You'll give that one then ref!" shouted a disgruntled home supporter. In the 37th minute Joel Doherty had a stinging shot saved by the keeper at his near post. Shortly afterwards the ball was played tantalisingly across the six-yard line by Finn McGreevy and turned onto the post by Doherty.
Hampton survived a rare Camberley attack in the 39th minute, a Seve Cushing clearance ricocheted off a home player into Lucius Russel. The mess was eventually cleared by debutant George Starr, whose parents watched from the stands. The ex-Hanworth centre-back hadn't put a foot wrong all evening, although he and fellow centre-back Ibrahim Nawaz also hadn't much to do. In the closing stages of the half Hampton searched for an extension to their lead. In the 44th minute Finn McGreevy provided a superb cross towards the far post, Kai Cooper connected with it, while under pressure, and struck the crossbar. There was just time for a rare Camberley corner before the whistle blew for half time. I felt that Hampton would be punished in the second half for not converting their dominance into goals while kicking down the slope.
Second Half
The temperature dropped further as the teams came back out. Linesman Alex Gray now sported a jacket over his shirt! Camberley whipped in a free kick but Hampton's defence dealt with it. The hosts equalised in the 54th minute when Lewis Mandaza scored from distance, a low powerful shot into the right corner of the net. Hampton responded with a double substitution in the 56th minute, as the more attacking Roshan Kigozi replaced Tom Maddigan in midfield; and Tyler Andrew-Flower was replaced by another debutant, Jack Potter, who has also joined us from Hanworth Villa's defunct side. Finn McGreevy took a free kick from about 25 yards out in the 62nd minute, awarded after Ibrahim Nawaz had been brought down. McGreevy's kick beat the four-man wall but sailed into the arms of Dom West. Ibrahim Nawaz had by now pushed up the field into a midfield role as Hampton sought to press higher and regain the advantage. In the 65th minute Camberley's Ollie Pompei went into the book for dissent. Hampton took the lead again in the 71st minute from the penalty spot. Kai Cooper was felled in the box and Finn McGreevy converted. Advantage Beavers! Before the penalty, Camberley's Kris Eccleston had gone into the book for a shirt pull.
The home side drove a free kick into the danger zone, it was headed away by Jack Potter. The referee then blew for another penalty, this time for the hosts... I am unsure what it was given for, there seemed to be minimal contact as a Camberley player went down, although it was a crowded penalty area and perhaps I missed something! Camberley's Josh Ewing stepped up and directed the ball into the top left corner to level proceedings in the 81st minute. Substitute Roshan Kigozi unleashed a powerful strike in the 84th minute but Dom West was equal to it. Both sides worked hard to find a winner, although there was less quality in this second half. Hampton secured a couple of corners in the last few minutes but failed to convert chances. In these closing stages a chilly wind was blowing light rain across the pitch, down the slope into the Hampton defence. Casey Jones kindly reminded me to conduct a headcount of the crowd, which determined that 44 hardy souls were present this evening. Lucius Russel won a free kick after a high foot into his stomach area but Hampton were unable to make anything of the possession and time ran out. An entertaining match in difficult conditions, if Hampton were more clinical in the first half they could have put the game beyond Camberley’s reach.
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Camberley Town: 1 Dom West, 3 Ewan Talbot, 4 Erim Dinctop, 5 Ollie Pompei, 6 Oscar Baker, 7 Kris Eccleston, 8 Zahir Al-Nawab, 9 Oli Pritchard, 10 Josh Ewing, 11 Lewis Mandaza
Subs: 12 Tavonga Manjowo, 14 Fergus Swift (on for Talbot, 77'), 15 Luca Boebar (on for Dinctop, 29'), 16 Ryan Chierka (on for Mandaza, 90'+1)
Hampton & Richmond Borough: 1 Lucius Russel, 2 Seve Cushing, 3 Stan Smith, 4 George Starr, 5 Ibrahim Nawaz, 6 Tom Maddigan, 7 Kai Cooper, 9 Tyler Andrew-Flower, 10 Joel Doherty (c), 20 Archie McKenna, 30 Finn McGreevy
Subs: 12 Tim Salaghishvili, 13 Jacob Atherton, 14 Roshan Kigazi (on for Maddigan, 56'), 15 Jack Potter (on for Andrew-Flower, 56'), 17 Devan Emedia
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Referee: Tom Fondie
Assistant 1: Paz Morreale
Assistant 2: Alex Gray
Attendance: 44
Yellow Cards: Ollie Pompei 65', Kris Eccleston 69' (Camberley Town); Tom Maddigan 11' (HRBFC)
Red Cards: None
Fixtures & Results:
https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam. ... =534620258
League Table:
https://fulltime.thefa.com/table.html?l ... _134126264
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