Dorchester make it nine in a row atop Division One South

The clearest run of form this week came in the Southern League Division One South, where Dorchester Town beat Melksham Town 3-0 on Tuesday for a ninth successive league win and, according to the club, a return to the top of the table. Matty Burrows scored twice, having been voted the club's September Player of the Month, and the club also confirmed the loan signing of striker Ibby Olateju from AFC Totton until early January 2027. Their weekend win over Hartpury came from an injury-time penalty by Ethan Taylor after Louis Manning had put the visitors ahead.

At the other end of that division, Bideford and Melksham Town drew 0-0 on Saturday in a meeting of two sides near the bottom. Bideford had lost their previous three, including a Tuesday defeat to Swindon Supermarine in which two deflected goals decided the game. Shaftesbury beat Slimbridge 5-4 on Tuesday, Lincoln Hunt scoring a hat-trick on debut for the visitors in defeat.

In the Isthmian League South Central, Bognor Regis Town went into the weekend eight points clear and unbeaten after a 7-0 win over Hartley Wintney. They then came from behind in stoppage time to beat Binfield 2-1, according to the club's own highlights. Another unbeaten record ended when AFC Portchester lost 2-1 to Ashford Town at Gosport Borough's AEI Stadium, where they are playing while their 3G pitch project is completed. The club said a linesman's flag stayed down over an apparent offside before the second goal. Ascot United had a debutant sent off in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Harrow Borough before falling to a 2-1 defeat at Moneyfields on Tuesday.

In a full Northern Premier League Midlands Division programme, Belper Town won 5-0 at St Ives Town, with Louis Keenan scoring his third in four matches, and manager Lee Attenborough called his bench the best he has had. Nuneaton Town beat Rugby Borough 2-0 for a sixth straight win in all competitions. Carlton Town won 3-0 at Coventry United, Ash Chambers scoring twice on his return from injury.

Further north, Ashington ended a run of five defeats by winning 4-1 at Lincoln United, Noah Cunningham scoring a hat-trick, though manager Marc Ellison noted they remain in the relegation zone. Bootle lost their first league game, at Hanley Town, then won 3-1 at Chasetown.

Dugout changes also shaped the week's non-league action. Stocksbridge Park Steels began the Jason Blunt era with a stream of signings, including Lloyd Allinson on loan from Cleethorpes Town, and lost 1-0 to Bridlington Town. Runcorn Linnets are under interim captain Jacques Welsh, whose side then beat Hanley Town 3-2 while down to ten men.