AFC Stoneham vs Shaftesbury Town - FA Trophy

Few would have predicted the narrative arc that brings AFC Stoneham and Shaftesbury Town together at the home ground on August 29, 2026, and the underdog storyline only adds to the FA Trophy occasion. Manchester United drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in their fourth pre-season fixture of the summer on Saturday.

A glance at the FA Trophy table tells the story: AFC Stoneham in 68th and Shaftesbury Town in 142nd, with positions to defend and places to climb. The hosts will hope that the the home ground crowd can inspire a performance, whatever the numbers suggest. The visitors will travel in the hope that a change of scene can spark a turnaround, whatever the form book says. But the Reds are still unsure about Bologna's asking price for the defender, who turned 28 in June and has less than 12 months to run on his contract at the Serie A side.

The tactical battle could prove decisive. AFC Stoneham may lean on their home advantage to dictate the tempo, but Shaftesbury Town have shown they can be dangerous when allowed to play on their own terms. Tottenham have changed their approach and are spending big on players who already know the Premier League.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. Discipline at the back and sharpness in front of goal will likely tilt the balance one way or the other. Despite his youth, the defender has won a total of six titles with Benfica and the national team, and was named as the best defender in the 2022/23 Portuguese league season.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. On balance, AFC Stoneham look well-placed to claim all three points, and a 2-1 home win would not come as a surprise. With the standings tight and form on the line, this is a fixture neither side will want to lose. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Liverpool's midfield wasn't great last year but I expect Florian Wirtz to have a better season, 100 per cent.