Larkhall Athletic secured a 2:1 victory over Dorchester Town in the first round qualifying of the FA Trophy on 29 August 2026. The result puts the hosts through to the next stage, while Dorchester's campaign comes to an end. By then, Larkhall had already shown enough to justify the win.
The home side had been inconsistent in recent outings — a 1:1 draw with Tavistock followed by a 0:2 defeat to Wokingham Town, then a 1:0 win over Bicester Town before slipping 0:1 to Bath. Dorchester's form was similarly patchy, with a 0:2 loss to Dover, a 1:1 draw against Basingstoke Town, and a 4:0 thrashing of Bedford. To be fair, neither side arrived in flying colours.
Without minute-by-minute details available, the character of the match remains unclear. What is certain is that Larkhall found the breakthrough they needed. Dorchester pulled one back but could not find an equaliser. And here's the thing about these knockout ties — one moment can decide everything.
The victory extends Larkhall's recent winning streak to two games, after they had lost their previous two fixtures. Dorchester's run of five matches without a clean sheet came to an end, though the result does little to address their wider inconsistencies.
Larkhall now turn their attention to the next round, where they will face whoever emerges from their tie. Dorchester return to league action with a squad that needs to rediscover consistency. The FA Trophy may have been a dead end for them, but the season is far from over.