October saw the National League affected by the FA Cup, but it still continued to deliver more twists and turns at both ends of the table – but who has managed to earn recognition?
Earlier this month, National League Lowdown revealed their Player and Manager of the Month award nominees – launching a public vote to help decide on the winners in those respective categories.
Elsewhere, the podcast team have independently decided their Goal of the Month as well as putting together an XI of the month’s standout performers across the division.
With Boreham Wood extending their unbeaten league run, Barrow & Altrincham continuing their revival and Southend & Harrogate dropping points – November is shaping up to be another thriller.
However, which players have earned the biggest plaudits from the National League Lowdown team for October?
Goal of the Month – Millar Matthews-Lewis (AFC Fylde):
Beginning with a category of great difficulty, there were several strong contenders for Goal of the Month, with the hosts torn between four different goals.
Hartlepool United’s Jamie Miley produced a stunning long-range finish against Boreham Wood, Sahid Kamara produced a brilliant finish for Southend United against Boston United and Callum Camps came close with an excellent volley away to Altrincham.
However, AFC Fylde’s Millar Matthews-Lewis took our spot with an outrageous solo effort against Hornchurch during a 3-1 victory.
WHAT A GOAL 🤯🤯🤯
An unbelievable strike from Millar Matthews-Lewis 🚀 https://t.co/YA0tMsSRaG
— National League on DAZN (@DAZN_NationalLg) October 30, 2026
Manager of the Month – Rob Elliot (Carlisle United):
October saw plenty of managers leading their sides to success, with Luke Garrard’s Boreham Wood preserving their unbeaten run, whilst the likes of John McGrath (Halifax Town) and Craig Mahon (AFC Fylde) underwent strong periods of form.
However, Carlisle United’s Rob Elliot won the National League Lowdown’s award because he’s undergone arguably the greatest transition throughout the month.
Elliot’s side entered October with just one win from their previous six league games, falling as low as 16th and had supporters calling for his dismissal.
One month later, Carlisle went the entire month unbeaten, qualifying for the first round of the FA Cup and picking up a huge home victory against title-chasing Harrogate Town with just nine men – sitting just two points off the play-off places.
Player of the Month – Brett McGavin (Yeovil Town):
Whilst the Manager of the Month award was a tough pick, the Player of the Month award was certainly even more challenging, with three nominees in particular dominating the votes.
Carlisle’s Morgan Feeney played a huge part in their turnaround, whilst Worthing’s Cory Adjetey-Brew continued to take the National League by storm, contributing several goals from left-back for Adam Hinshelwood’s side.
However, Yeovil Town had a month to remember and midfielder Brett McGavin played an integral role to that. He contributed to five goals including a key role in their FA Cup clash as well as scoring a hat-trick during a 6-0 victory against Wealdstone.
The 26-year-old beat his tally from the entirety of last season in a single month, leading by example in the heart of their midfield and certainly caught the eye of opposition clubs in the division.
National League Lowdown’s Team of the Month:
With the individual awards taken care of, the attention turned to picking a Team of the Month for individuals that deserve recognition for their performances throughout the month of October.
Goalkeeper: Between the sticks is Altrincham’s Harry Isted, with the 26-year-old keeping a clean sheet against Kidderminster Harriers as well as making several important saves against the likes of Yeovil and Aldershot on the way to guiding the club back to the play-off places.
Defenders: As previously mentioned, Carlisle’s Morgan Feeney earns his place at the back. However, joining him is Halifax Town‘s Will Flint and Boreham Wood’s Tylor Golden. Flint contributed to a goal and has proven that despite being just 20, he is more than capable of performing highly in the division. Similarly, Tylor Golden has become somewhat of an unsung hero for Luke Garrard’s side, scoring twice and assisting another whilst also preserving their unbeaten start.
Midfielders: National League Lowdown’s Player of the Month Brett McGavin and runner-up Cory Adjetey-Brew take their deserved places. They are joined by Barrow’s Rekeem Harper and Boreham Wood’s ever-present Zak Brunt. Harper continued a successful September with two more goals, whilst Brunt contributed to eight goals across all competitions.
Forwards: Leading the line is Eastleigh’s Aaron Blair who continued his fine form for the Spitfires. Southend’s Promise Omochere was the best of an out-of-form bunch, scoring three goals as they remain in the top three. Meanwhile, Yeovil’s Johl Powell contributed to seven goals across all competitions, continuing his eye-catching start to life in the National League.
