Gornal go into October as Division Three’s form side thanks to a run of five league wins on the bounce and the help of a player who has worked his way up from the under-21s.
September saw the Black Country side run out 4-0 winners against both Walsall Wood and Leafield Athletic with one of the league’s top scorers Jack Allen taking his tally to seven for the season.
Boss Mat Thompson, the club’s founder and chairman, explained: “It’s still 90 per cent of last year’s squad with a few new additions – some players have been with us from the under-21s.
“We have enjoyed a good start to the season with some positive performances and look to continue and see where it takes us.
“Jack is one of those who has been with the under-21s. He’s a box-to-box midfielder with great technical ability and this season he’s started adding goals to his all-round game, making him our current leading scorer.”
The impressive run has lifted Gornal to sixth but with games in hand on the sides above them.
Solihull Youth Academy still lead the way on goal difference even though they lost for the first time in September, 2-0 at Silhill.
Level on points at the top are BNJS who had a mixed month. Having beaten Continental Star 10-0, which included five goals for Jewel Mbachu and a hat-trick for Sam Williams, they lost 3-2 at Leafield Athletic.
That win over the league leaders and a 4-1 victory over Continental Star lifted Silhill up to third ahead of Coventry Dunlop who are the league’s leading scorers with an impressive 40 goals from nine league games.
Leamington Hibernian complete the top five thanks in no small part to striker David Buckley who has already bagged 11 goals this season, including a hat-trick in the 5-1 win at Arden Forest.
At the foot of the table, life has been tough for Arden Forest who go into October still seeking their first win, their only game in September being that defeat at the hands of Hibs.
Mercia Athletic lie one place above them on five points, one fewer than Continental Star and Birmingham Tigers with the pair losing both of their month’s league games.
A hat-trick from Khye Darlington steered Diamonds Academy to victory over Tigers having lost at Leafield Athletic at the start of the month, while two goals from Jack Mullen helped AFC Balsall win their only match 3-0 at home to Mercia.
Walsall Wood have had a mixed month, beating Tigers only to slump to two heavy defeats while Lane Head enjoyed a win and a draw from their two games. Mid-table pair AFC Birmingham and Leafield Athletic played just three games between them, the only win being for the latter against Diamonds Academy.
