Complex sentence: His team-mate Peter Johnston took his place at the last minute, despite being told earlier he had not been selected, to play a memorable game despite eating half a chicken and a bucket of chips along with a strawberry thickshake shortly before the game began.
Split into simpler sentences: His team-mate Peter Johnston took his place at the last minute, despite being told earlier he had not been selected. Johnston went on to play a memorable game despite eating half a chicken and a bucket of chips along with a strawberry thickshake shortly before the game began.