Bideford finally win, Dorchester's run continues, Didcot march on

After eight games without a win, Bideford finally found three points on Saturday 26 September, coming from behind to beat Hartpury 2-1 at the Sports Ground. Jordan Ewing and Finn King-Smith scored within four minutes of each other in the second half to cancel out Billy Osborn's opener, with Finn King-Smith marking his first appearance back at the club with the winner. Sean Joyce's side had gone four draws and two defeats without victory beforehand, and the result inflicted Hartpury's first defeat since August, according to their own match report. Bideford's respite was short-lived, however. Three days later Bideford were beaten 3-1 at home by Dorchester Town, who scored through Ethan Taylor twice either side of a stoppage-time Oliver Haste header, with Jack Magarotto's penalty the only reply. That defeat came on the back of a run which has now stretched to six successive league wins for Dorchester Town, who beat Exmouth Town 4-1 before the Bideford trip with goals from Jayden Nielsen, Ethan Taylor, Taylor Burrows and substitute Freddie Beale, the latter scoring just 44 seconds after coming on.

Hartpury, for their part, had arrived at Bideford in good form, having drawn 1-1 with Worcester Raiders through Morgan Ewing in midweek, and manager's captain Billy Osborn admitted afterwards that "there's a big emphasis on needing a quick turnaround now." However, that turnaround failed to materialise at Bishops Cleeve on Tuesday, where the Mitres defeated Hartpury 1-0 through Lewis Clayton having strengthened themselves in the Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup in midweek with a Shiyak Sutherland brace and a Ross Langworthy goal, Langworthy's 98th for the club.

In Division One South, Paulton Rovers collected their first league win of the season by beating ten-man Bristol Manor Farm 1-0 through Tom Bradley's header, then drew 2-2 at Tiverton Town in midweek when Brandon Bak equalised deep into stoppage time. Slimbridge also opened their league account, Jack Smith scoring an 84th-minute winner at Falmouth Town. Shaftesbury, under Jim Milligan, moved to back-to-back wins with victories over Larkhall Athletic and Worcester Raiders before being held 1-1 at home by Willand Rovers, Brett Pitman scoring from a free-kick.

In Division One Central, Didcot Town remain unbeaten in the league, beating Milton Keynes Irish 4-1 to make it seven wins from seven, and advancing to the FA Trophy First Round Proper with a penalty shootout win over Bracknell Town in which Leigh Bedwell saved twice. Marlow made it four straight league wins, beating Hadley 3-0 through Naheer Nawaf, Seb D'Aversa and Will Gutierrez-Ramirez, having won away at Barton Rovers through a stoppage-time penalty and a late Jaden Porter-Atkinson tap-in after Barton were reduced to ten men. Potters Bar Town added experience to their squad with the signings of Alex Wall and Richard Ennin, while welcoming back Kiril Halenin, last season's Young Player of the Season, who kept a clean sheet in the 4-0 win over Barton Rovers.