After being held on their travels the previous weekend, Andoversford were looking to get back to winning ways in Division One of the Cheltenham League.

The 3-3 draw with Dowty Dynamos, which included a Sonny Burrows hat-trick, was the first dropped points for last season’s Division Two champions and they were back in action this weekend when they hosted Newton, another team who were promoted at the end of last season.

Newton have spent a couple of years bouncing between Divisions One and Two of the Cheltenham League, sponsored by Bristol Street Motors Cheltenham Ford, but have shown they are capable of giving the best teams a run for their money when on their game. This did not prove to be one of those days however as the hosts won 2-0.

Cheltenham Civil Service moved clear at the top as they cruised to a 7-0 win at RSG as Steve Holend’s men look to improve on their top three finishes in the last two seasons.

Service were looking to make it four wins from four when they hosted Bishop’s Cleeve III. The two teams shared some interesting encounters last year, with Cleeve setting the pace in the title race before fading after Christmas.

A 3-0 defeat of Worcester Olympic the previous weekend saw Cleeve head into the game on a high, but despite taking the lead Cleeve were unable to hold on as Service claimed the points with a 2-1 win.

After holding Andoversford to a draw the previous weekend, Dowty Dynamos faced a Shurdington Rovers team who went into the game with zero points and desperate to start getting them on the board.

With home advantage Rovers knew they had to kickstart their season. Unfortunately for them, home advantage was not enough as they were beaten 4-1.

Whaddon United were another team who started the weekend without a point. After pushing Andoversford and Dowty’s so close for the Division Two title last season, Kev Taylor’s men have not been able to take the momentum into Division One.

After a 3-2 defeat the previous Saturday against Upton, United were hoping to have more luck against another Worcester team this weekend.

Worcester Olympic started the day with four points from their three matches but were unable to add to their total as Whaddon kickstarted their season with a 6-1 win.

The early kick-off in the division saw bottom club RSG facing Tewkesbury Town at Tewkesbury School. Starting the match three points and four places above their opponents, it was important that Town did not drop points if they wanted to move away from the bottom teams.

At full-time it was the hosts who left the field smiling. A 6-0 win leaves RSG still searching for their first point of the season after losing their opening four matches.

It has been a fantastic few weeks for The Beeches who started the weekend top of Division Two after winning their opening three matches in some style and moving onto a +21 goal difference in the process. The Cirencester-based club hosted Bredon Reserves as they looked to extend their winning run.

Bredon were promoted as Division Three champions, although a win and a loss in their opening two games suggests that they are still acclimatising to life in the higher division.

The Beeches looked favourites to continue their winning run but Bredon had not read the script as they shared the spoils after a 2-2 draw.

Hanley Swan were also promoted at the end of last season and like Bredon, had had a mixed set of results going into the weekend, winning two and losing one. They hosted Fintan whose opening two matches had been against Bredon.

The trip to Worcester was not a pleasant experience for Fintan who had a long journey back after a 6-2 defeat.

Cheltenham Civil Service Reserves kicked off their league campaign the previous Saturday with a 3-0 win over Prestbury Rovers. Their opponents this weekend, Southside Star, have not had the best of starts to the 2017/18 season. After seeing their first team withdraw from the Northern Senior League, Star have lost their opening two games.

Looking to get points on the board, Star were hoping home advantage could prove the difference. It was the visitors however who were in the ascendancy, easing to a 5-0 win.

After winning their opening match Pittville United were brought down to earth with a bump when they were hammered 9-0 by The Beeches at their own ground.

After such a heavy defeat it was important that they bounced back quickly and they looked to do so against Tewkesbury Town Reserves.

A 1-1 draw in their opening match the previous Saturday meant victory for Tewkesbury would take them above their visitors. At full-time Pittville were once again left with the taste of defeat after suffering a 3-2 reverse.

AFC Renegades have been flying in Division Three and made it three from three with a 5-0 defeat of FC Lakeside Reserves. Their impressive start to the season has been matched by Windyridge Rovers who also have nine points from three games.

With most teams in County Cup action this weekend there was just one league match and it gave Windyridge an opportunity to move clear at the top of the table. They hosted Brockwork Albion Reserves who had four points from two matches following their relegation last season.

Windyridge’s fine form continued as they hit Albion for nine, winning 9-3 to move three points clear at the top of the table.

As with Division Three, a number of teams were in County Cup action in Division Four, although there were three league matches.

Early season table-toppers Malvern Vale faced their old reserve team, Malvern Vale Academy, in what promised to be one of Saturday’s most intriguing games.

Vale were relegated at the end of last season and are running their old reserve team under the Academy name as a separate team to enable both teams to compete in the same division.

With local bragging rights at stake the ‘first’ team claimed the spoils. In a high scoring encounter they emerged victors, winning 7-4.

Welland Reserves had started the season with two wins from the opening two matches and were looking to extend the run against a Bishop’s Cleeve Development Reserve team who had tasted defeat in their opening two league matches.

The visit to Welland was not a happy one for Cleeve who lost 4-3.

In the final game, Smiths Athletic Reserves travelled to Winchcombe Town Reserves. With both clubs having first teams in the Northern Senior league, this promised to be an exciting encounter between the two second strings. It was Town who proved the stronger team, winning 4-2 to bag their second victory of the season.