Introduction – Pre-Season –August – September

October saw Jim Gannon appointed at Dagenham & Redbridge as managerial movement began. The boss at King’s Lynn especially was caught browsing the available job list several times…

King’s Lynn Town

Linton ran the show away at Maidenhead in Friday Football, King’s Lynn winning the day 3 – 2 but the hosts’ Will de Havilland impressed. Brett McGaulin’s first goal for Town was a corker from well outside the area as Barnet were defeated 2 – 0 at the Walks Stadium, a fifth game without defeat. A sucker punch from Solihull Moors and their player Dallas in the 87th minute ended that unbeaten stint a week later. King’s Lynn qualified for the first round of the FA Cup with a win at home against National League North side Chorley.

Much like the Solihull Moors game, Torquay weren’t deserving to cause another defeat but came away with the win thanks to goals by Andrew Dallas. The tough games continued as Boreham Wood’s Tyrone Marsh fired in the opener as King’s Lynn went in search of three points, Gold Omotayo finished off a fine move for the equalising goal. A 1 – 1 draw wasn’t a horrible result. The normally reliable Paul Jones was at fault for Goodship’s opener against Weymouth before King’s Lynn succumbed to a pulsating 5 – 3 loss.

Dover Athletic

Ryan Hanson got the month’s action underway for Dover with a header at the back post from Woods’ free-kick. Parkes then spilled into Erico Sousa’s path but a 1 – 1 draw against a strong Grimsby side is nothing to turn your nose up at despite another fine for yellow card accumulation. A loss to Aldershot was disappointing given that a draw would take the points tally back to zero. A 3 – 0 loss was humbling. Positive points was the order of the day with a win just one week later against Barnet, who slipped to the last place that Dover had occupied. Taylor-Croasdale is a worry, he hasn’t scored for some time now.

Dover qualified for the first round of the FA Cup with a comfortable away win at Concord Rangers of National League South. Nobody gave Athletic a hope of getting anything away at Southend United and it almost came to pass as a Rhys Murphy double in the first half appeared to have ended the game as a contest. Taylor-Croasdale did break his scoring drought on the way to earning a share of spoils 3 – 3. A month end loss to high-flying Stockport County was par for the course really, Scott Quigley grabbed the decisive goal.

Weymouth FC

The last of three teams to take to the field in October had the stiffest test against Dave Challinor’s Stockport County, led by Scott Quigley. Quite how Weymouth achieved a 2 – 1 win, I’ll never know. Your guess is as good as mine. Quigley was first on the scoresheet before Mampala squared the ledger prior to the break with a smash and grab. Stockport dominated the second half and Akheem Rose struck on the counter to complete the upset. Bromley’s Max Taylor contributed an own goal in the first half before Mampala took the initiative in the second 45, giving Weymouth a 3 – 0 win. The Terras then threw away a win at FC Halifax, 3 – 1 up at the break, substitutions including Tom Solake and Jamie Sendles-White saw Halifax rally to turn things around to 4 – 3 by full time.

Weymouth qualified for the first round of the FA Cup with an away win at Havant & Waterlooville of National League South. As momentum built, a big result was coming and Weymouth put Wealdstone to the sword by a scoreline of 5 – 0 with Mampala notching a hat-trick. Seven of our lads were named in the Team of the Week after that result. Weymouth ended the month in third place after a win over King’s Lynn Town to end October despite Tom Solanke receiving his marching orders.

Manager of the Month: Pete Wild – FC Halifax

Player of the Month: Manasse Mampala – Weymouth

Young Player of the Month: Manasse Mampala – Weymouth