Kettering Town secured the FA Trophy with a 4-0 win against Matlock Town at the final on 26 September 2026. The visitors took control early and never looked back, wrapping up the competition with a scoreline that reflected their dominance. Matlock Town, coming into the match on the back of several convincing results, found themselves outplayed from the opening stages.
Kettering had shown solid recent form, winning three of their last five matches including a 2-0 victory over Kvern and a 2-1 away win against Wellingborough Town. Matlock Town had been equally impressive in their own right, with a 5-1 win over Newton Toron and a 5-0 victory against Leek City among their recent results. Both sides brought confidence to the final, but Kettering turned theirs into something more decisive.
The match itself unfolded without the kind of back-and-forth drama that sometimes defines finals. Kettering moved through the game with purpose, while Matlock struggled to find any rhythm. To be fair, Matlock had done well in their recent outings, but this was a different kind of challenge. They did not travel to make up the numbers, but neither did they come close to matching the opposition.
By then, the result was already clear. Kettering extended their unbeaten run with a performance that left little doubt about the quality gap between the two sides. Matlock Town had won a dangerous free-kick in their last outing, but that kind of detail mattered less now. The final score told the story without need for elaboration.
The victory puts Kettering Town at the pinnacle of the competition, while Matlock Town will have to reflect on a day that did not go to plan. The 4-0 margin speaks for itself—no tight finish, no controversy, just a straightforward display of superiority. Kettering now holds the trophy, and the final will be remembered for the clarity of their performance rather than any dramatic twists.
