West Women's Severn Div Two

Gloucester IV 0

Cirencester II 6

CIRENCESTER Ladies' 2nd XI secured promotion with a 6-0 win over Gloucester IV – a week before the end of the season, writes Rachel Seymour.

Cirencester sneaked an early goal but in a nail-biting first half they did not extend their lead until the last play.

They added four goals in a thrilling second half.

Cirencester's goals came from Jess Robins (3), Amber Birkett (2) and Izzy Clifford-Holmes.

It was also a good day for the ladies' 3rd XI who are joint-top of the league after a 2-0 win over Bourton & Sherborne.

A gritty Cirencester took the lead through a Tilly Brown goal.

Good awareness from keeper Alice Sleeman held off the league's top scorers and a second goal was scored by Jenny Jones.

While Bourton tried to come back, Cirencester battled through and were deserved winners.

Only two points separate the top four teams, as the hunt for promotion goes down to the wire.

Meanwhile, the Cirencester 1st XI had mixed results when they played their normal league fixture along with a rearranged game.

The first game against Blockley gave top ladies' goal scorers Jess Weston and Kath Fry chances to add to their tally in a 5-0 win. Goals were also scored by Jules Kennedy, after an expertly taken short corner, and Elly Whitehead from a rebound off the keeper.

However, the form couldn’t be maintained and the 1st XI went on to draw 2-2 against Wootton Bassett. Cirencester produced several chances but the opposition's 'keeper made some excellent saves and it was Wootton Bassett who managed to score first. It took two short corners for Cirencester to level the score in the second half with Alex Neilson slotting home the equaliser.

De Cymru & The Marches One Cirencester 5 Cardiff & Met C 4 THE men's firsts secured a third-place finish in the league – one of their best seasons for a decade – with one game remaining.

The side started brightly against Wales’ dominant club, Cardiff & Metropolitan. Four quick goals set Ciren up for what should have been a routine win.

Before half time, Cardiff & Met pulled one back.

Charlie Partridge extended the home side's lead to 5-1, only for concentration to lapse.

Keeper Paul “Woody” Franklin produced some fine saves, but with five minutes to go the visiting Welsh side had got the game back to 5-4, leading to a tense finish.

The 2nd XI had a controversial 4-1 loss at Cardiff & Met D which included four “sin-bin” cards for Cirencester and three for the hosts who also picked up a red card.

Prior to this card-fest, club captain, John Partridge was rushed to A&E as a lifted ball split his skull.

This was a game Cirencester had to win and they started with a fast and direct game although it lacked penetration and shots on target. Following Partridge’s injury, Cardiff & Met tested keeper (and MoM) Dave Webb, who pulled off some spectacular reflex saves.

Between Cardiff's third and fourth goals, Ollie Jones pulled one back for Cirencester, but the 2nd XI now face relegation.

The 3rd XI received a 6-0 lesson from a high-flying Gloucester B and two goals from Ben Saunders were not enough to prevent Gloucester C emerging 4-2 winners against the 4th XI.