Evley secured the FA Trophy with a 3-1 victory over Ware in the final on 25 September 2026. The result gives the hosts their first major silverware in the competition's history. Ware, despite their efforts, could not find a way back into the contest after falling behind early.
To be fair, the statistics paint a clear picture of Evley's control throughout the afternoon. They registered 140 attacks compared to Ware's 102, showing sustained pressure on the away defence. Evley won just one corner but made far more of their opportunities. Ware picked up a yellow card and never really threatened to catch up.
And here's the thing about the attacking numbers — 140 attacks for three goals is not the most efficient conversion rate. But efficiency matters less when your opponents cannot string a pass together. Ware's 102 attacks yielded nothing, and their lack of corners tells you everything about their forward movement. They were caught in possession too often, and the away end never stopped despite the scoreline.
Evley's recent form had been mixed, to say the least. They lost 2-3 to Brentwood Town on 19 September and were beaten 4-0 by Southend on 1 August. Two wins in their last five games before this final might not have suggested much confidence. But by then, the team had found something, and the academy graduate marked his first start with a goal — or at least, that is how the narrative will read going forward.
Ware's run to the final was built on consistency rather than brilliance. Their last five results read 2-7, 2-0, 3-1, 3-3, and 1-1. They showed resilience against Sadsbury and Fakenham Town, but the final exposed the gap between ambition and reality. They did not travel to make up the numbers, but they had nothing left to offer after the first hour.
The victory means Evley will now turn their attention to the league, where they sit outside the automatic promotion places. A third-place finish would be respectable given their inconsistency earlier in the season. For Ware, the disappointment of another final loss will linger, but their progress from last season's struggles is undeniable. They held their nerve for 80 minutes before the pressure told.
