Carlton Town vs Shepshed Dynamo - FA Trophy

The FA Trophy returns to the home ground on August 29, 2026, where Carlton Town and Shepshed Dynamo will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. Just as was the case in the previous meeting between the teams in April of last year, when Emery's side gave them such a scare in the Champions League tie at Villa Park, PSG were hanging on at the end.

In the FA Trophy table, Carlton Town currently occupy 100th and Shepshed Dynamo sit 66th, and the context adds genuine weight to what is already an intriguing fixture. 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. If the recent winter window is anything to go off, meanwhile, United are once again unlikely to spend big for reinforcement half-way through the season.

Set-piece efficiency could prove the difference on the night. Both Carlton Town and Shepshed Dynamo have invested time in dead-ball situations this season, and a single corner or free-kick may settle it. No wonder the skipper had talked of a 'new Aston Villa' in the pre-match press conference with what seemed like genuine excitement.

The fixture is likely to be shaped by its key performers, with creative midfielders and clinical finishers on both sides capable of turning the game in an instant. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. Spurs may have leaked Arsenal links to defender to ease sale to Atletico Madrid.

The market has yet to form a strong view, and the contest looks genuinely difficult to call. On balance, Shepshed Dynamo may just have enough to take all three points. A 1-2 away win would not be a shock. The ramifications of this result could ripple through the FA Trophy standings for weeks to come, regardless of who comes out on top. And Fonseca does not place too much weight on the decision of Roberto Martinez to omit him from the World Cup squad in favour of his Benfica team-mate Tomas Araujo.