Waltham Abbey beat Croydon Athletic 7:1 in the FA Trophy Final on 26 September 2026. The result came as a shock given the hosts had just lost 0:3 to Dagenham & Redbridge four days earlier. Croydon had been in mixed form too, winning three of their last five but also suffering heavy defeats.
Waltham Abbey's recent run before the final was unpredictable. They had won 7:0 against Brampton Athletic and 2:0 twice, but then collapsed against Dagenham & Redbridge with a 0:3 loss followed by a 1:1 draw. Croydon's form was less consistent — they beat Rains Park Vale 3:0 and Sevenoaks Town 3:2, but also lost 0:3 to Leatherhead and 2:5 to Folkestone Invicta.
The final itself produced a one-sided affair. Waltham Abbey scored seven goals while Croydon Athletic managed just one. There were no details available about individual scorers or the timing of goals. The match statistics were not provided either — no possession figures, shot counts, or expected goals data.
For Croydon Athletic, the result ends what had been an uneven season. They had shown they could score freely against weaker opposition but struggled against stronger sides. Waltham Abbey, meanwhile, proved they could respond to disappointment. Four days after that 0:3 hammering, they delivered something entirely different.
The victory gives Waltham Abbey the FA Trophy title. Croydon Athletic's campaign comes to an end with this defeat, a result that reflects their inconsistency throughout the season. The hosts are now champions, having found their best form at the most important moment.
