Bourne Town vs Hanley Town - FA Trophy

A fascinating FA Trophy chapter awaits on September 12, 2026 when Bourne Town take on Hanley Town at the home ground — two sides with plenty to play for and everything to prove. It has not been a daunting fixture list but there are signs that Mourinho has found a way to get the best from an increasingly stacked Madrid squad.

A glance at the FA Trophy table tells the story: Bourne Town in 31st and Hanley Town in 46th, with positions to defend and places to climb. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. Hanley Town's away form is hard to read, but they will arrive with the belief that they can trouble their hosts. That result ended the European giants' 14-game unbeaten run in the competition, as Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Jude Bellingham were contained by an "incredible" performance from a player barely anyone outside of France had heard of.

Set-piece efficiency could prove the difference on the night. Both Bourne Town and Hanley Town have invested time in dead-ball situations this season, and a single corner or free-kick may settle it. That allows him to sweep up possession without necessarily needing to tackle; rather, he pressures and intercepts.

In fixtures as finely poised as this one, it often comes down to who holds their nerve in the big moments — and both camps have players who relish that responsibility. Discipline at the back and sharpness in front of goal will likely tilt the balance one way or the other. Another midfielder remains on the agenda with Manu Kone and Aurelien Tchouameni among those linked to a move to Old Trafford.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. The weight of evidence points to Bourne Town, and a 2-1 win for the hosts feels like the most probable outcome. With positions in the FA Trophy table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. 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.