Charlton Athletic 1 v 0 Preston North End

Saturday 29th August 2026, Kick-off 15.00

EFL Championship

The Valley, Charlton

Admission: Season Ticket

Programme: £4.00

Attendance: 17,256 (962 away)

A match report can be read by clicking here , also copied and pasted below

Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here

Addicks make it three in three with win over Preston

Charlton 1 Preston North End 0

The Addicks made it three league wins on the spin at The Valley on Saturday afternoon, beating Preston North End 1-0 in the Sky Bet Championship.

The result sent Charlton to the top of the league table as Karlan Grant bagged his first goal back at the club with a fine finish in front of the Covered End.

Nathan Jones made one change for the team that beat West Ham United last weekend, as Ivan Mesík started in place of the injured Billy Koumetio.

There was nothing to report in the opening stages of the match as both sides looked to break the deadlock. 

On 23 minutes, Tyreece Campbell sent a dangerous cross into the area, which Aflie Devine did well to turn away under pressure from Miles Leaburn.

Shortly after, Harry Clarke managed to get the better of Mesík down the right-hand side and fed the ball through to Callum Lang who was lurking in the area. Skipper Lloyd Jones produced an excellent piece of defending to shield the ball out for a goal-kick.

Andrija Vukcevic sent a searching cross that was met by Lang, who couldn’t direct it on target while, at the other end, Campbell floated a well-weighted ball towards Leaburn, who nodded it narrowly wide of the post.

Both sides had chances throughout the first 45 minutes, but neither could seriously test the goalkeepers.

The Addicks had a chance to go ahead just before half-time after being awarded a free kick in a dangerous position. Grant stepped up to take it but saw his effort fly narrowly just past the goal.

The gaffer made his first switch at the interval, as Sonny Carey was replaced by Millenic Alli.

Charlton upped the tempo at the start of the second half. Charlton soon got their reward for their increased pressure, as Grant opened the scoring on 56 minutes. Alli’s cross found the number nine in the box, who held up the ball brilliantly. He managed to turn and squeeze his shot in at the near post beyond Daniel Iversen to give the Addicks a well-deserved lead. 

Alan Mwamba entered the fray just after the hour mark, as Nathaniel Chalobah was forced off and the academy graduate made an impact, seeing a shot well blocked following his introduction. 

The midfielder was at the heart of the action of much if the action and fed a lovely ball through to Leaburn, but the striker fired his effort off target. 

Towards the end of the game, sub Micah Mbick had the chance to make it two, but Clarke managed to thwart his effort.

The Addicks held firm to make it three league wins from three in the league. The result meant that Charlton sit the top of the Championship table with three wins from three - the only side remaining in the EFL with maximum points.

Charlton: Okonkwo; McNamara, Jones (c), Bell, Mesík; Coventry, Chalobah (Mwamba 63); Campbell (Asiimwe 90+4), Carey (Alli 46), Grant (Rankin-Costello 90+4), Leaburn (Mbick 88)

Subs (not used): Brooks, Knibbs, Ouma, Apter

Goal: Grant 56

Assist: Alli 56

Booked: Rankin-Costello 90+5 (foul on Burgzorg)

Preston North End: Iverson; Lindsay, Clarke, Gibson; Offiah (Erabi 70), Leroy, Thompson (Small 77), Vukevic (Wiley 89); Lang (Mills 70), Devine; Burgzorg 

Subs (not used): Nicholls, Valentín, Storey, Moran, Gryba

Booked: Leroy 54 (foul on Grant)

Referee: Tom Reeves 

Attendance: 17,256 (962 from Preston)

Bexhill United 2 v 2 Roffey

Friday 28th August 2026, Kick-off 19.30

Southern Combination League Premier Division

Little Common Recreation Ground, Bexhill-on-Sea

Admission: £8.00 

Programme: Free

Attendance: 130

Brighton and Hove Albion 4 v 0 Tromso IL

Thursday 27th August 2026, Kick-off 19.30

UEFA Conference League Play-off Round

American Express Stadium, Falmer

Admission: £18.00

Programme: £4.00

Attendance: 23,981

A match report can be read by clicking here, also copied and pasted below

Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here

Report: Albion 4 Tromso IF 0

It's Europe again after Kostoulas, De Cuyper, Wieffer and Boscagli score in comfortable win over Tromso

Bruce Talbot

Albion will be back in Europe in October after cruising into the group stages of the UEFA Conference League.

The job was done by the interval at the Amex for the second game running after Babis Kostoulas, Maxim De Cuyper and Mats Wieffer scored in a one-sided first half.

Tromso worked hard and their 400 fans kept singing but the Norwegians struggled to cope with Albion’s pace, power and movement.

As had been the case against Aston Villa, the intensity levels dropped in the second half but Olivier Boscagli, who also had a goal disallowed, made it 4-0 and substitute Ibrahim Osman struck the outside of the post. 

There was a surprise in the starting line-up with Matt O’Riley recalled for his first start for a year with Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter absent, but Fabian Hurzeler went with nine of the starters from Sunday’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa.

That left Kostoulas to lead the line and the striker - and his teammates - set a terrific tempo from the first whistle.

Twenty minutes in and Albion had enjoyed 86.5% possession and after forcing a fine save out of Jakob Haugaard and firing just wide from Diego Gomez’s cross it was a case of third time lucky for Babis.

Albion’s press forced Tromso to lose possession on their right touchline and the ball dropped for Kostoulas to take a touch and drill a powerful low shot from the edge of the box into the far corner.

Luka Viskovic forced Haugaard to save his header but moments later Albion made it 2-0. Tromso tried to play out but Leon Hien dawdled on the ball and De Cuyper dispossessed him ten yards out and sent a side-foot shot into the corner to double Albion’s lead. 

‘Europe again ole ole!’ sang Albion fans in the north stand and there was a much louder refrain a few minutes later when Wieffer scored Albion’s third.

The Dutchman started the move with a cross-field pass out to the left. Boscagli’s cross took a deflection into Wieffer’s path and his right-foot volley flashed past Haugaard.

There was no let up for Tromso in the second half. Kostoulas and Costinha were inches away from converting Diego Gomez’s cross before Pascal Gross headed Boscagli’s cross just over.

Albion kept hunting for more goals. Kostoulas was just off target from a tight angle, Boscagli volleyed past Haugaard but was offside in doing so and substitute Ibrahim Osman hit the outside of the post.

Boscagli got the goal his performance deserved with eight minutes to go when his right-foot volley took a slight deflection off a defender and found the far corner. 

A second successive 4-0 win at the Amex and Albion fans can start making plans for another European tour. It’s been a great start to the season.

Albion: Verbruggen, Dunk (Struijk 45), Vuskovic, Boscagli, De Cuyper (Osman 66), Gross, Ayari, Wieffer (Costinha 45), Gomez (Yohanna 66), O’Riley (Yalcouye 80), Kostoulas.

Subs not used: Steele, McGill, Kadioglu, Simmonds, Robertson, Oriola, Nti.

Tromsø :-  Haugaard, Dahlqvist, Vadebu, Skjærvik (Hien 12, Øyvann 81), Tønnessen, Warneryd (Innvær 46),  Edvardsson, Jenssen, Grundt (Olden Larsen 46), Nyhammer, Larsen (Camões 46), 

Referee: Sander van der Eijk (Netherlands) 

Attendance: 23981

Long Buckby 4 v 4 Heyford Athletic

Wednesday 26th August 2026, Kick-off 18.30

Northants Combination League Premier Division

Station Road, Long Buckby

Admission: Free

Programme: None

Attendance: 30 (rough head count)

A match report can be read below, taken from the Heyford Athletic Facebook page

The mens team travelled to Long Buckby last night somewhere some of us had not been for decades, and not much has changed just looks worn and tired, the ground aswell.

The game started and about 20 in the ball was squared across Buckbys box and under pressure the ball came off of the defender into the corner of the net.

Then laughable defending, well lack of it, allowed Buckby to equalise, and then we equalised through Marcin Klima from a corner.

A very good goal from Luke Smart was overturned for "offside" 🤣🤣 by a player linesman whose flag twitched, to the shout, all 1st half.

HT 1-2

In the 2nd half the linesman entered the field of play, blimey what a player big strong and as quick as Eno "Speedy Gonzalez" Macroy. The player he replaced must be a diamond to keep him out of the starting lineup...but he escapes memory.

Luke Smart put us 1-3 up with a finely taken goal then the lino/striker got on the end of a long ball from the keeper, his speed was frightening and his finish sublime, but apparently smashing your elbow into a defenders eye socket is fine but when leaving the pitch, when being subbed, it has to be the right place thats far more important...right o!

Marcin's eye looked like a butchers block afterwards and was struggling to see out of it after, no taking away the players goal but should have been a foul minimum.

At 2-3 Ahmed Mohamed was finally put on and instantly smashed a volley past the despairing keeper, with less less than 10 minutes to go and it should have been seen out, and with our normally on par strikers guilty of some blatant misses 1st and 2nd half it really should have been done and dusted, but a player was allowed to go around 2 or 3 or more before curling a great strike into the top corner, then a penalty was awarded 🤣🤣🤣 "handball" the wrong way, and the lad took a perfect Penalty giving Isaac no chance, then Victor Mapanga was carded for a perfect tackle ,agreed by all it was almost as if a draw was pre ordained, by one person at least. It's a pity yellows can not be appealed.

The team were probably guilty of complacency due to Buckbys previous games, but they are building and progressing a good side, rapid up top with a diamond in the middle of the park who was outstanding and was definitely Man of the match, a small blonde lad, sorry do not know his name, they are definitely heading in the right direction and will upset any team that take them lightly. We wish them all the best for the rest of the season.

Saturday sees us at home to Raunds Town, another team pointless who will definitely be up for a game and hope the lads do not treat them lightly and play how they did the 1st 2 games of the season, as 2 goals up with 6 minutes to go and getting pegged back, all be it with help, is not what is required hence the dark angry look of the gaffer on the final whistle. 

Atherstone Town 4 v 2 Rugby Town

Tuesday 25th August 2026, Kick-off 19.45

United Counties League Cup Preliminary Round

Sheepy Road, Atherstone

Admission: £9.00 

Programme:Online Only (Free teamsheet)

Attendance: 286

A match report from a Rugby Town perspective can be read by clicking here, also copied and pasted below

Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here

2026/27 SEASON - MATCH REPORT - UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE CUP PRELIMINARY ROUND - 25 AUGUST 2026 by RUGBYTOWNFC.COM

Atherstone Town 4 v 2 Rugby Town

Collins 30'                    Mardenborough 34'

Davoile 41', 46'            Sutherland 80' (p) 

Fitzgerald 45'+5

Attendance 285

Valley exited the United Counties League Cup at the first hurdle as Warwickshire rivals Atherstone Town won through the tie at Sheepy Road.

As per Saturday's FA Cup game against Belper Town, three goals scored in quick succession did the damage for the Adders, this time in a 10 minute spell either side of half time.

Manager Grant Joshua made four changes from that Belper game including a change of shape with Ben Richards returning from injury to play in a back three with Sam Tye and Devonn O'Sullivan coming into the midfield alongside a recall for Nathan Scott who has recently been on loan at Darlaston Town.

After a fairly uneventful first half an hour, Lewis Collins opened the scoring for the hosts as he reacted quickly to head into the net after the ball had struck the woodwork following a free-kick on the edge of the area.

Rugby were soon level through a brilliant effort by Rivel Mardenborough who picked up a loose ball following Jake Wormleighton's attempted diagonal pass and curled a fine shot over former Rugby goalkeeper Lewis Gwilliams from outside the box.

O'Sullivan dragged a shot wide before Mardenborough came close to a second a few moments later but he pulled his shot just wide from a good position after being played in by Aaron Nuttall.

Ash Bodycote tipped a deflected Mitch Woakes shot from outside the box around the post before Atherstone retook the the lead in calamitous fashion when Riley Davoile charged down Bodycote's attempted pass with the ball bouncing straight into the unguarded net.

Then it was three deep into first half stoppage time as Sam Fitzgerald put a direct low free-kick past Bodycote after the referee pulled Wormleighton up for what looked like a perfectly good tackle on Davoile.

Things got worse for Rugby straight after half time as Davoile got his second as he managed to scramble a follow-up effort from a tight angle after Bodycote had saved the first effort.

Scott flashed a shot across the goal before Mardenborough spurned a golden chance after he dispossessed Gwilliams outside the area and left him scrambling to get back but after dribbling into the box the striker could only fire his shot over the bar.

Sam Tye volleyed a powerful but speculative effort off target from the edge of the box before Louis Samuels couldn't hit the target either from close range after brilliant work down the right by Scott.

Substitute Charlie Tilley hit a first time shot wide from the edge of the box while Bodycote was off his line quickly to deny Collins a second goal as he streaked through.

Rugby reduced the arrears with ten minutes to go when substitute Zidan Sutherland stepped up to dispatch a low penalty into the net after the referee spotted a handball in the box.

Valley missed one more excellent chance as Tye headed wide from inside the six yard box from Samuels' corner.

Valley Line-up: Bodycote; Wormleighton, Nicholson, Richards; Scott, Morley (Sutherland 58'), O'Sullivan (Tilley 57'), Tye, Nuttall (Cook 77'); Samuels, Mardenborough (Nee 58'). Subs not used: Ashmore.

Atherstone Line-up: Gwilliams, Walker-Donovan, Jones, Healy, Martin, Wells, Davoile, Edwards, Collins, Fitzgerald, Woakes. Subs: Steele, Noon, Smith, Cowley, Harkin.