Hoddesdon stay unbeaten as Bolton reaches 100 and ten men win at Baresi

The week in Division One South belonged to Hoddesdon Town, who ended it unbeaten and, by the club's account, four points clear at the top. Two results made the case. On Saturday they won 5-2 at Brimsdown, who play their home games at Aveley's Parkside. Connor Casey's first-half penalty and a second goal were followed by Jack Gibbs's finish from a Casey cross. Connor Bolton then scored twice in three minutes, in the 69th and 72nd, to reach 100 goals for the club.

Bolton had returned after the birth of his son Leo. His century made the headlines, but Wednesday's game at FC Baresi showed more of what has carried Simon Riddle's side. Freddie Wilkinson was sent off in the third minute for a perceived kick at the keeper, and Riddle took off Casey after 20 minutes, with a yellow card already shown and tempers rising. Gibbs scored on the stroke of half-time and Hoddesdon held out for a 1-0 win. Hadley Richards took the Man of the Match award. Baresi's own verdict was blunt: "Quite frankly a toothless performance."

The challengers had worse weeks. May & Baker EC lost at Cannons Wood, who won 2-1 at Parkside through Louie Maxwell and Timothy Monsheju, the visitors pulling one back right at the death. May & Baker described it as a "disappointing performance" that ended their unbeaten run. The goal was first credited to Noah Adejokun, but the club later corrected it. Days earlier Cannons Wood had beaten previously unbeaten AS London 2-1, with Prince Imoru's 92nd-minute winner, after Khaniel's red card left AS London a man down for around 65 minutes.

That defeat followed a run in which AS London won 3-0 at Coggeshall Town, with Joshua Adeojo scoring twice, and 6-2 at Dunmow Town. Dan returned from a five-game absence to score two, and Josh took his tally to 14 goals in nine games.

In the same division, Rayleigh Town beat Southend Manor 7-0, Dylan Jones scoring twice. Manor said they were reduced to nine men by a red card and a temporary sin bin, with a further red shown to their dugout. Rayleigh also beat Brimsdown 4-1 on Tuesday.

Hoddesdon now face Dunmow at Heybridge Swifts' Scraley Road on Saturday 3 October with a record of ten wins and two draws from 12 matches in all competitions.