Crusaders the one change in regional leagues divisional leadership

27th January 2025 Wilf Frith
Crusaders, West Midlands League
Crusaders lead the West Midlands League Division 1 South. (Photo: Crusaders Women FC)

Crusaders were the one change in leadership across all the Regional League divisions, Brentford beat higher-ranked opponents in cup competition.

EASTERN – First points for Frontiers

Premier – The top five all won, Royston Town 5-1 at Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers, Luton Town 3-0 against Cambridge City, Haringey Borough sinking St Albans City 7-0, Stevenage getting all three goals at Bowers & Pitsea and Enfield Town edging Watford Ladies Development 3-2. Elsewhere, Wroxham won by the odd goal in five away to Needham Market.

1 North – Harpenden Town won 2-1 at Real Bedford Reserves to open a ten-point lead at the top, with Newmarket Town held 0-0 at Stevenage Development. Biggleswade United were beaten 2-0 at home by Whittlesey Athletic, Thetford Town sub Kamile Omeleviciute scored in a 1-1 draw with Wootton Blue Cross, while AFC Dunstable were leading Kings Lynn Town at half-time when the weather forced an abandonment.

1 South – Mid-table Wormley Rovers drew 2-2 at leaders Colney Heath, who are under added pressure after Southend United defeated Toby Ladies 4-1. Frontiers got off the mark at the 11th attempt, a 3-2 win over Hertford Town featuring a Charis Howell brace.

Frontiers Ladies, Eastern League
Frontiers got their first points of the season.

League Plate 2nd Round – Mulbarton Wanderers made it through 3-1 at Lawford, Chelmsford City knocked out Histon 2-0.

EAST MIDLANDS – Asfordby and River City close in on Central leaders

Premier – Mansfield Town defeated Anstey Nomads 4-0, Rotherham United scored four second-half goals to beat Basford United 5-1, SJR Worksop won by the only goal at Stamford.

1 Central – Asfordby Amateurs continued their title chase with a 3-0 win over Sleaford Town that saw Sarah Brown notch a hat-trick, River City ran out 7-2 winners at Long Eaton United in their own promotion bid. West Bridgford scored four times without reply away to Brookside Athletic.

1 North – Wins for the leading pair, as Gainsborough Trinity got both goals at Buxton and Grimsby Town’s Bethany Wharton scored all three at Belper Town.

1 South – Wellingborough Town stayed top with a Sophie Till decider in the 2-1 defeat of Dunton & Broughton United, New Bradwell St Peter winning 3-0 at Leicester City LFC to stay in striking distance. Northampton Town Devs went third with a 3-1 victory at Thrapston Town, Newport Pagnell Town beat Bugbrooke St.Michael 6-1 away.

League Plate 2nd Round – Nottingham Trent University went through 4-1 at Grimsby Borough, Chesterfield FC had a walkover at Cardea.

LONDON & SOUTH EAST – Brentford win nine-goal cup thriller

Premier – Dartford’s Shauni Griffiths hit a hat-trick in the 5-0 win at Millwall Lionesses which saw them move six points clear, Fulham are ten points behind but with five games in hand following a 4-0 victory at Newhaven.

1 North – Bromley lead the table by four points after seeing off third-placed Denham United with a goal from substitute Remmi Gardner.  Richmond & Kew’s Charlotte Close struck twice in a good 3-2 win at Clapton CFC, AFC Whyteleafe remain four points in the red with a 3-0 home defeat by Ashmount Leigh.

1 South – Mid-table Montpelier Villa beat basement side Three Bridges 1-0 with Tara Barratt their scorer.

League Cup 3rd Round – Brentford edged out higher division Saltdean United 5-4 after extra-time, with doubles by Paula Holguin and sub Nikki Woods. Sutton United got past Dulwich Hamlet Reserves with a single Bethany Humphrey goal, Ebbsfleet United won 2-0 at Saltdean United Devs.

NORTH EAST – Leeds Modernians end Ossett’s 100% record

Premier – Ponteland United have a five point lead over Chester le Street Town but from five games more, after they beat Spennymoor Town 4-2 while their nearest rivals went down 2-1 at home to South Shields. Alnwick Town had a walkover against Hull United, Bradford City sent Sunderland West End to a 5-1 loss and Wallsend BC won 2-1 against York Railway Institute.

1 North – The top two moved further clear, as Norton & Stockton Ancients Reserves overcame Chester le Street United 5-2 and Thornaby’s Sophie Curle got three goals in a 10-1 result at Bishop Auckland. Gateshead won 3-1 against Wallsend BC Reserves to stay out of the drop zone, Hartlepool United edged the basement battle with Redcar Town 3-2.

1 South – Leeds Modernians ended Ossett United’s perfect form, sub Megan Davis on target in a 3-2 win that brought them level on points with the leaders but from a game more. Handsworth also gained ground with a 3-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday, York City Development jumped three places to fifth with Daisy Masefield scoring three of their seven goals at Sheffield United Foundation.

NORTH WEST – Bolton and Poulton up to 14 straight wins each

Premier – Curzon Ashton could have gone top but missed the opportunity, going down 1-0 at home to fifth-placed Mancunian Unity.

1 North – Bolton Wanderers beat Morecambe 4-0 in front of 350 fans for their 14th win in a row. Penrith stayed within six points of them with a 3-0 victory at Hindley, Atherton Laburnum Rovers were 5-1 winners at Radcliffe and Workington Town won 4-1 against Fleetwood Town Wrens Reserves.

1 South – Poulton Vics have also won all 14 of their games, the latest being a 9-4 goalfest with MSB Woolton. Warrington Town are trying to escape the relegation zone and that was aided by a fine 2-1 success at fourth-placed Wigan Athletic.

Alliance Design & Print League Cup 1st Round – Preston North End progressed 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 deadlock at West Didsbury & Chorlton, Tranmere Rovers eliminated Macclesfield FC 7-1.

SOUTHERN – Cup progress for Fleet and Sholing

1 North – Wycombe Wanderers U-23s were 3-0 winners over second-placed Ascot United Reserves, Slough Town defeated Kidlington 3-1 to leapfrog them into sixth, Chesham United Development won 3-1 at Caversham United to get out of the relegation position at their expense.

League Cup 2nd Round – Fleet Town put eight past Milton United with Keira Simpson claiming a hat-trick, Sholing netted three unanswered goals in the tie with Reading.

SOUTH WEST – Marine move further clear

Premier – Marine Academy Plymouth have played more games than others but are top by eight points after an 8-1 defeat of AFC St Austell. Frampton Rangers hit Ilminster Town for six in the meeting of fifth and sixth.

1 North – Ninth-placed Downend Flyers drew 1-1 at second-in-the-table Bitton, Royal Wootton Bassett Town’s match with Bath City was abandoned due to torrential rain.

WEST MIDLANDS – Crusaders go top

Premier – Shifnal Town missed a chance to go level on points with leaders Lye Town, held 1-1 at Leek Town where Kimberley Cartlidge scored for the mid-table hosts. Jessica Lundie scored five of Coundon Court’s six goals at Knowle, Burton Albion beat Alvechurch 3-2 to go fifth, Shrewsbury Town sixth with a 5-2 result over Solihull Sporting.

1 North – Top team Hednesford Town beat Rugby Town 3-1, second-placed Eccleshall defeated Leek Town Reserves by the same score.  AFC Telford United are fifth after drawing 3-3 at Walsall FC in third, Tamworth’s first win came 1-0 at Newcastle Town.

1 South – Crusaders knocked Worcester City Reserves off the top with a 4-0 beating of Bromsgrove Sporting, Redditch Borough hit hosts Hereford Pegasus for six.

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