Bristol Rovers Women and Cheadle Town on verge of promotion

4th March 2024 Wilf Frith
South West League Premier Division champions elect, Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers on course for the FA Women’s National League. (Photo: @GasGirlsWFC)

Bristol Rovers Women and Cheadle Town Stingers both won to move within touching distance of Regional League Premier Division titles.

EASTERN – Canny five-goal haul for Hutton’s Daisy

Premier – Second-placed Haringey Borough put five past St Albans City, Barking edged Needham Market 3-2 to go fourth, Bowers & Pitsea ran out 5-2 winners at Kings Lynn Town who have now suffered 16 defeats in 17 games.

1 North – Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers won 3-0 at Histon to take back first place from Harpenden Town, whom they have played one more match than.  Thetford Town jumped three places following their 2-0 victory in the basement battle with Fakenham Town.

1 South – Daisy Canny scored five as Hutton pulled off an amazing 8-4 scoreline at second-placed Southend United. Cheshunt are up two places to third with a 4-1 result at Wodson Park, Stanway Pegasus stay bottom after losing out to the odd goal in seven against Hertford Town.

League Plate Quarter-Final – Stevenage Devs’ substitute Matilda Thomas-O’Keefe scored as they went through 3-2 at their counterparts from Billericay Town.

EAST MIDLANDS – Two Division 1 leaders defeated

Premier – Ellie Gilliatt hit a hat-trick as leaders Lincoln United beat Rotherham United 6-1, Ilkeston Town took the points 2-1 at Grimsby Town. Chesterfield Ladies leapfrogged Basford United into third on goal-difference when defeating them 2-0, Anstey Nomads sent Long Eaton United to a 4-0 loss.

1 Central – Notts County Devs are within two points of the leaders following a 3-2 win at fourth-placed Loughborough Foxes Vixens.

1 North – Oughtibridge WM downed leaders Gainsborough Trinity 1-0 to sit three points behind them with two games in hand, a position also held by SJR Worksop. Skegness Town went above Lincoln United Devs, whom they beat 2-0 away.

1 South – The top two were both beaten, Leicester City LFC 3-2 winners over leaders Thrapston Town as sub Rachel Akinyemi levelled and Lola Barrett got her second of the game, New Bradwell St Peter’s Emily Hale scored in the 90th minute for a 2-1 result at Northampton Town Devs.

LONDON & SOUTH EAST – Dartford and Saltdean win Cup semi-final thrillers

Premier – Aylesford sub Beth Hulme was on target in a 2-1 defeat of basement side Crawley AFC, which lifted them six points clear of danger but with their games running out.

1 South – Second-placed Bromley put eight past mid-table Eastbourne United, Montpelier Villa won 4-2 at Bexhill United, Welling United’s 3-1 result at Herne Bay featured a Kathleen Waterhouse double.

League Cup Semi-Finals – Dartford won 1-0 after extra-time in front of a crowd of 581 at Dulwich Hamlet, Saltdean United had been 3-0 down but eventually won 4-3 on penalties at Dorking Wanderers, following a 4-4 deadlock.

League Trophy Semi-Finals – Whyteleafe eliminated runaway Division 1 South leaders Newhaven 4-2, Brentford saw off Hackney by four goals to nil.

NORTH EAST – Seven up for new leaders Bradford City

Premier – Bradford City’s Maria McKenna scored three of their seven goals at Harrogate Town, which was just sufficient to unseat leaders Wallsend BC. Sunderland West End could have gone top but slipped to a 4-1 defeat at South Shields, Sophie Curle’s three goals helping them go within two points of their visitors. Spennymoor Town overcame Hartlepool United 5-2 to send them bottom on goal-difference.

1 North –  Third-placed Consett went 2-0 up through a Emma Hewett double but had Amber Hemming sent off with 14 minutes left, Thornaby’s Lucy Watson had already notched a treble in a fightback to win 5-2. Chester le Street United edged Bishop Auckland despite a red card for Shakila Khalaghe before the hour mark, as sub Molly Simpson netted their crucial fourth goal in their bid to stay up. Hartlepool Pools Youth picked up a precious points at Gateshead, as did Washington at Norton & Stockton Ancients Reserves.

1 South – Danielle Pinder got all Handsworth’s goals in a 3-1 defeat of leaders Millmoor, Chesterfield FC Women sent York City Devs to a 4-0 loss and leapfrogged them into second spot, Lower Hopton saw off Farsley Celtic JFC Ladies 6-4.

NORTH WEST – Cheadle one point from being crowned champions 

Premier – Cheadle Town Stingers’ Sophie John got both their goals in a 2-1 win at Crewe Alexandra, which put them on the verge of promotion to the FA Women’s National League with four games still to play. Curzon Ashton beat West Didsbury & Chorlton 2-0 to climb above them into fifth, Darwen defeated Bury 4-0.

1 North – Mancunian Unity’s 3-0 victory over Penrith was their sixteenth in a row and put them 14 points clear of the rest. Bolton Wanderers rose into the top half of the table, with a 6-1 beating of Carlisle United.

1 South – Chester pulled level on points with leaders Wythenshawe with a 5-1 win over Warrington, Poulton Vics’ similar victory at Altrincham lifted them to fourth.

SOUTHERN – Bournemouth Sports knock league leaders out of Cup

1 North – Second-placed Kidlington’s title hopes were ended with a 3-2 home reverse to Milton United, Abingdon United Devs’ Mimi Hodges scored three of their goals in a 5-0 win at Caversham United.

League Cup Semi-Finals – The league’s top two clashed and Bournemouth Sports got the better of leaders Ascot United 5-3 on penalties, with the pair not being able to be separated at 1-1. Havant & Waterlooville eliminated AFC Portchester 2-1 in midweek, with the winner coming from Emily Wernham.

Chairman’s Cup Quarter-Finals –  Beaconsfield Town edged past Penn & Tylers Green 5-4 in a shoot-out, which became necessary with the teams locked at 2-2. Woking led Winchester City Flyers 3-0 at half-time but only narrowly progressed 4-3 in the end. Eversley & California banked both goals of the game at Fleet Town, Long Crendon knocked out Chesham United Devs 4-1 aided by Eleanor Lovelock’s hat-trick.

SOUTH WEST – Bristol Rovers almost up

Premier – Bristol Rovers 2-1 victory at second-placed Sherborne Town, leaves them needing a single point from two games to secure promotion to the fourth tier.

Premier League Cup Quarter-Final – AFC St Austell’s Lucy Solloway found the net three times, as they went through 4-1 at Bishops Lydeard.

Divisional Cup – First Round ties saw Ilminster Town advance 2-1 at Paulton Rovers and Shaftesbury hit six at Frome Town, with half their tally from Nicola Castle. Both Second Round matches were decided 4-2 on penalties, in favour of Royal Wootton Bassett Town after a 1-1 score with Bath City and Poole Town following a 2-2 deadlock with Bristol Rovers Devs.

WEST MIDLANDS – Telford go clear at the top

Premier – Lye Town beat Kidderminster Harriers 3-1 in midweek to go second in the table, Unbeaten leaders Worcester City won 2-1 at Lichfield City on Sunday. Elsewhere, Shrewsbury Town saw off Kidderminster 3-1 helped by Kimberley Bebbington’s brace, Solihull Sporting were held 2-2 by Coundon Court whose Jessica Lundie struck twice. Worcester welcome Knowle to Sixways Stadium on Friday 8 March for an 8pm kick off.

1 North – AFC Telford United’s 5-0 result against Coventry City saw them go three points clear at the top, Tamworth put four past Lichfield City Reserves.

1 South – Droitwich Spa had Sophie Ross dismissed during a 3-1 home defeat to Redditch Borough, who rose to second in the table. Rugby Town took fourth spot from Hereford Pegasus with a 7-2 defeat of them, Nicole Evans leading the way with five goals. Bewdley Town’s Emily Jay scored their winner in a 2-1 result at Redditch United.

Division 1 Cup 2nd Round – Alvechurch reached the quarter-finals with a 4-0 defeat of Port Vale.

Dryburgh and Rossvale win SWF Championship & League One Cup S-Fs

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