The Opposition - Key Facts
Full name: Wellingborough Town Football Club
Nickname: The Doughboys
Founded: 1867 (re-founded 2004)
Ground: London Road
Capacity: 5,000 (350 seated)
Chairman: Mark Darnell
Manager: Jake Stone
Last season: 9th/22 (NPL Midlands)
Journey distance: 82 miles

The Opposition - History
The origins of the club began in 1867 when they formed. It is claimed that this made it not only the oldest club in Northamptonshire, but also the sixth-oldest in the country. However, since folding, this is no longer the case. The club played originally under the part-handling code, until becoming a genuine football club in 1869, playing at Broad Green, wearing an old gold and black strip. In 1879 Wellingborough Town became the first club to play under floodlights, when they entertained Bedford at the Bassett's Close ground, using lights powered by generators at either end of the pitch.

The club joined Division One of the Southern League in 1901–02, moving to their current ground at the Dog & Duck in London Road. In 1905 the club changed name to Wellingborough Redwell but resigned at the end of the season after finishing bottom of Division One, continuing to be called Wellingborough Redwell until reverting to Wellingborough Town in 1919.

Wellingborough joined the Metropolitan League in 1968–69, finishing seventh. They won the title the following season and joined the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division, finishing third. In 1971–72, they joined the Southern League Division One North. A reorganisation of the league saw it split into Southern and Midland Divisions, with Wellingborough playing in the Midland Division. However, they struggled until in 1988–89, they were relegated to the United Counties League.

The club struggled for thirteen seasons in the UCL, narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier Division in a number of seasons. However, they could hold out no longer than 2001–02 when the club folded and they resigned from the League.

Wellingborough re-formed after two years without a senior team, with help from locals including snooker champion Peter Ebdon. They returned to the UCL in 2005–06, earning promotion to the Premier Division. Financial struggles and frequent managerial changes followed, though notable signings like Trevor Benjamin boosted morale. Survival was secured in 2013 after a poor start, and Jason Turner’s return saw renewed success. Despite setbacks—including a fire destroying the clubhouse and a near-eviction from the Dog & Duck ground—the club endured. In 2023–24, Wellingborough won the UCL Premier Division South and were promoted to the Northern Premier League Midland Division.

Last season they finished 9th in the NPL Midlands division.

The Opposition - This Season
The Doughboys have started the season in unstoppable form, with six wins from six and four clean sheets.
It began with an emphatic 4-0 FA Cup win at Newark Town before they got their NPL campaign off to a winning start with the crucial goal coming four minutes in to stoppage time at home to Bourne Town, having been 0-2 down at half-time.
They then picked up an eye catching 5-1 win away to last season's playoff semi-finalists Basford United, turning the screw late on after being 2-1 ahead with ten minutes remaining.
They have won their last three matches by the same score of 2-0 and all of them away, the opponents being Boston Town, Lincoln United (FA Cup) and Wednesday night's win at Rugby Borough which sent them top of the division.
Today is only their second home game of the season but marks the start of six games out of eight to be played at the Dog and Duck Ground.

League (1st/22): P 4 W 4 D 0 L 0 F 12 A 3 Pts. 12
Cups: P 2 W 2 D 0 L 0 F 6 A 0
FA Cup: Still in (play Kettering Town in First Qualifying Round)
FA Trophy: Still in (play Belper Town today)
County Cup: N/A

NPL Stats
Top goalscorers: Jack O'Connor and Zayn Hakeem (3)
Most minutes played: Five players on 360 minutes

Overall stats
Biggest victory: 4-0 vs. Newark Town (8th August) and 5-1 vs. Basford United (15th August)
Heaviest defeat: N/A
Highest home attendance: 210 vs. Bourne Town (11th August)
Average home attendance: 210 (16th/22)
Most consecutive wins: 6
Most games without a win: 0
Most consecutive defeats: 0
Most games without a defeat: 6

The Nailers
The Nailers began with successive 0-0 draws, the first time this had occurred for 25 years.
Defeat at home to Coventry United followed but the Nailers got a goal and their first three points on the board three days later against Boldmere St. Michaels.
After a 4-1 win at Rugby Town in the FA Cup, Sutton Coldfield put in an impressive counter-attacking display on Tuesday evening to take the points from the Raygar Stadium.
Most appearances: Ten players have appeared in all six matches so far, with four of them playing every minute
Top goalscorers Harry Draper (3), four players on one goal

Head to Head
There are just four meetings in the history books.
The first two took place all the way back in 1956, a two-legged League Cup semi-final, with the Doughboys taking the first leg 4-0 and despite first half goals in the return match from Lakin and Fox, the Nailers couldn't find any further goals and Wellingborough progressed.
The sides would not cross paths again until September 2025 when an early Jacob Gratton goal was enough to secure three points for Belper.
The return fixture last season saw one of Belper's best performances of the season, dispatching an in-form Wellingborough side 3-1 at the Dog and Duck Ground.

Overall record for Belper: P 4 W 3 D 0 L 1 F 6 A 5 (2 x NPL, 2 x League Cup)

The league fixtures for this season are scheduled for September 26th (at Belper) and February 6th (at Wellingborough)

Form Guide (all competitive matches)
Sutton Coldfield Town: WWWWWW
Belper Town: DDLWWL

Team News
Full team news will be announced at 2:15pm.

Match details
Wellingborough Town vs. Belper Town
Isuzu FA Trophy First Qualifying Round

Saturday, 29th August 2026 - 3:00pm kick-off

Dog and Duck Ground
London Road
Wellingborough
NN8 2DP

Admission prices: Adults £12, Concessions £9, 14-17 year olds £3, U14s free with paying adult

Directions and Parking
From Belper, head for Derby and pick up the A52 Nottingham bound before leaving and looping around to join Raynesway.
Follow Raynesway, the Alvaston Bypass and Derby Southern Bypass and eventually join the M1 southbound at J24A.
Leave the M1 at J15 and take the first exit at the roundabout (London Road, A45).
Follow the A45 (Nene Valley Way) and take the third exit at the Wilby Way Roundabout, staying on the A45.
Take the second exit at the next roundabout on to Turnells Mill Lane then take the first exit at the Tesco roundabout, joining London Road again (now the A5193).
Turn right at the Premier Inn / Beefeater and the ground is on your right.

Parking in the retail park is free but parking at the hotel is pay to park.

Follow the match
Full coverage of the match:

Audio commentary with Chris on Belper Town Live
Full text coverage on X and Facebook.
Match reports on the website (all matches) and in the Non-League Paper (Saturday matches only)

Permutations
The winner of the tie - which will go straight to penalties if level after 90 minutes - will enter the draw for the Second Qualifying Round.
Prize money is £1,500 for the winners (plus a guaranteed minimum of £575 in the next round) and £400 for the losers.

FA Trophy fixtures
There are 80 matches taking place in the First Qualifying Round.
144 new teams enter at this stage, taking the total to 320, this being reduced to 240 by the end of the round.
Eight matches take place on Friday night, with the remaining 72 at 3pm today.
A full list of fixtures can be found here