Rankhorn Linnetts came away with a 1:2 victory against Stokebridge Park Stixlers in the first round qualifying of the FA Trophy on Friday evening. The match finished at 2026-08-29 with the visitors claiming all three points despite a spirited home performance. And here's the thing — Stokebridge had the chance to go ahead early but couldn't capitalise when it mattered most.
Stokebridge Park Stixlers took the lead through a goal in the 60th minute, putting the home side ahead for the first time. Rankhorn Linnetts responded with two late strikes, one in the 89th minute and another in stoppage time to seal the win. To be fair, the away side had been threatening throughout and their two late goals came when Stokebridge were pushing for an equaliser.
The match was characterised by caution from both sides, with five yellow cards on display. Stokebridge received two bookings in quick succession at 14 and 15 minutes, while Rankhorn Linnetts picked up three between the 78th and 79th minutes. By then, the tempo had settled into a wary pattern where neither side wanted to overcommit.
Statistically, Rankhorn Linnetts dominated possession at 64 per cent compared to Stokebridge's 36. The visitors also registered 113 attacks to the home side's 81, though Stokebridge managed to create enough to take the lead. Both teams struggled for aerial presence with just one corner each for Rankhorn and none for Stokebridge throughout the entire match.
The result extends Rankhorn Linnetts' recent form, which has been inconsistent with results including a 0:4 defeat to United of Manchester earlier this year. Stokebridge Park Stixlers, meanwhile, have shown flashes of promise but remain vulnerable to late collapses — a pattern they saw again tonight when the match slipped away in the final ten minutes.