Town ladies beat Stoke Lane to win the championship (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Town ladies beat Stoke Lane to win the championship

CIRENCESTER Town FC Ladies clinched the Gloucestershire Women's County League Division One title in fine style at the Corinium Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

For Town smashed the title favourites, Stoke Lane, who had led the division for much of the season, by six goals to two in the final league game of the season.

In the end, the title went down to the wire with Stoke Lane just one point ahead of their arch-rivals going into this fixture.

With the pressure on a home side that needed to win, Cirencester had a shaky start and looked the more nervous of the teams. In fact, Town went a goal down in the first ten minutes.

Stoke Lane won possession in the centre of the park and their opponents were caught trying to push out.

This tactic failed and let in the visitors' centre-forward around the back to slot home. After this initial setback, Cirencester seemed to get into gear and started to claw their way back into the game.

With great determination and character, Leah Davis seemed to pull along her team, which started to play and create several good openings.

And it wasn't long before Joey Clarkson pulled the scores level when she chipped the ball in at the near corner.

This goal served as a catalyst and, shortly after, Cirencester took lead when Chrissy Dudman swung in one of her excellent corners for Leah Davis to sweetly nod home.

Cirencester were now creating all sorts of problems for the Stoke Lane defence with front-runners Joey Clarkson and Becky Wadd linking up well.

Joey Clarkson then beat the offside trap to score her second. With all the pressure in the visitors' penalty area, a defender clumsily brought down Leah in the box just before half-time.

Joey Clarkson picked up the ball and duly slotted home from the spot to send her team in 4-1 up at half-time. Although the first ten minutes of the second half proved tense, Town stood firm at the back.

Stoke Lane weren't going to give up and they pulled a goal back on the hour when their rivals failed to clear. In response, Joey Clarkson pulled another goal out of the bag for the local ladies.

Town then suffered a blow when the gutsy Leah Davis had to go off injured, but she had certainly played a vital part.

Lucie Vickers did a good job, though, slotting into the middle and was unlucky not to score.

Nonetheless, the day belonged to Joey Clarkson who sealed the result with another great strike with Cirencester's sixth and her fifth of the match.

It was she who deservedly won player of the match with her excellent contribution of goals.

Having finished as runners-up last season, Cirencester went one better this time around to clinch the championship after seven years in the County League.

It's not all over yet as Town are set to play Stoke Lane in the League Cup final in the hopes of achieving a unique double.

Cirencester: R Elson, L Weaven, J Harvey, L Bradbury, A Brown, R Newman (L Vickers 60), L Davis (P Dunn 65), C Dudman, E Jarvis, J Clarkson, R Wadd. Subs: L Crozier-Davies, K Knowles.