FA Cup fourth qualifying round puts Southern League clubs in the first-round draw

FA Cup fourth round qualifying took center stage across the Southern League. Four clubs won through to the first round proper, and several of them had never been there before.

Wimborne Town did it by beating Chelmsford City at the Wyatt Homes Stadium. The club's preview noted that its only previous first-round appearance came in 1982, a 4-0 loss at Aldershot. Tim Sills' side had lost 2-1 at Plymouth Parkway on Tuesday, a late Toby Down header ending a 13-match unbeaten run, after beating Havant & Waterlooville 6-3 the previous Saturday with four goals from Angel Diaz. Parkway then beat Chertsey Town 2-0 at Bolitho Park, with Rocky Neal and Reece Thomson among the scorers, to go through for the first time in the club's history.

Berkhamsted pulled off a stunning 2-1 upset at Southend United, while Sholing bounced back from a 3-2 midweek home loss against Chichester City to beat SE Dons and seal their first-ever trip to the first round proper.

Others fell short. Leiston lost 0-3 at home to Guiseley after three first-half goals, and Adam Marriott had a late effort disallowed. Uxbridge lost 0-4 to Hornchurch at Honeycroft, four days after a 3-3 draw and a penalty shoot-out defeat at Harrow Borough in the Middlesex Senior Cup. Worcester City and Gloucester City both drew away from home against higher-level opposition. Josh Ezewele headed an equaliser in stoppage time at Chorley, and Gloucester drew 0-0 at Barrow, so both replays are on Tuesday 20 October. Worcester's league game at Redditch United has been postponed because of it.

In the league, Halesowen Town beat Hitchin Town 2-1, with Cowley scoring a late penalty. Poole Town beat Chippenham Town 4-1 and the club posted that they are top of the league after seven consecutive wins. Bromsgrove Sporting drew 1-1 with Banbury United on Saturday after a 2-1 win over Kettering Town on Tuesday, thanks to goals from Jamille Matt and Lamin Barrow. The club's September Team of the Month award was presented before that game.

At Bath City, Alex Fisher was appointed Head of Business Development while remaining in the first-team squad. Dave Phillips, a long-time volunteer, became the club's full-time videographer. Peterborough Sports signed Sydney Ibie and Lee Watkins, and Ibie made his debut in a 1-1 draw at Stratford Town.