The beautiful game was seen in its very best light over the weekend as the Cheltenham Football League took a break from league action, and hosted a number of charities cup and trophy matches, writes Rob Morrison.

Last season the league, sponsored by Bristol Street Motors, raised in excess of £3,000 for local causes through the charities cup and trophy competitions, providing an important link between the league and the local community.

Cheltenham Sports for Disabled, The Butterfly Garden and Sue Ryder Care have all received donations in excess of £1,000 this year.

Not such good news is that the players of one club did not take to the field on Saturday and indeed won’t be doing so again in the League this season – at least not in the colours of their current club.

After their 7-4 defeat at the hands of Newton the previous Saturday, Worcester Olympic withdrew from the league. Luke Cole and Curtis Wise, who both bagged a brace for Newton in that game, will be especially disappointed when they learn their goals will be struck from the record.

Having only re-joined the league this season, their withdrawal is a real disappointment after the effort the league committee have put in to arrange fixtures and include them in the constitution.

While the clubs in the division will now play fewer games, it will be particularly galling for Whaddon United Reserves who will lose the only points they have won to date when Olympic’s record is expunged.

The loss of the three points will see Whaddon drop down alongside RSG at the foot of the table. Whaddon will be thankful that their superior goal difference places them above RSG at this point.

Excellent early season form is not something that Andoversford Reserves can be accused off. While their first team are competing at the top of Division One, they remain rooted to the bottom of Division Two and yet to claim a point.

Facing Division Four opposition in the Minor Charities Cup at the weekend they were hoping for a victory that would see them progress in the competition as well as giving them a much-needed confidence boost. Unfortunately, the 7-3 defeat they played out may well have the opposite effect.

Fintan hosted Gala Wilton Reserves in the only league game of the weekend. Victory for Gala would move them into third spot in Division Two while three points for Fintan would move them away from the gaggle of teams at the wrong end of the table. At full time Fintan came away with the three points after a 3-1 win to move within one point of their opponents.

RESULTS

Cheltenham League
Charities cup fixtures 14th October

Division 2

Fintan      3     Gala Wilton Res     1

Junior Charity Cup

Andoversford     1     Upton Town     1     (Andoversford won 4-3 pens)

Cheltenham Civil Service     2     Bishops Cleeve FC A     3
Dowty Dynamos     3     Whaddon United Res     2
Worcester Olympic     A     RSG First     W

Junior Charities Trophy

Kings FC     0     Tewkesbury Town     6
Beeches     3     Newton     1
Bredon Res     2     Shurdington Rovers     5
FC Barometrics Res     4     Pittville United     0
Hanley Swan     1     Prestbury Rovers     1     (Hanley Swan won 4-2 pens)

Minor Charites Cup

Tewkesbury Town Res
AFC Renegades     7     Cheltenham Saracens 3rds     1
Brockworth Albion Res     6     Charlton Rovers Res     3
Cheltenham Civil Services Res     2     Falcon Reserves     0
FC Barometrics Thirds     7     Winchcombe Town Res     1
Malvern Vale FC     7     Andoversford Res     1
Smiths Athletic Res     2     Windyridge Rovers     9
St Pauls United     7     Welland Reserves     1

Primary Charities Trophy

Cheltenham United     4     Malvern Vale FC     5
FC Lakeside Res     1     Andoversford 3rds     5
Fintan Reserves     10     Charlton Rovers 3rds     2
Kings FC Res     0     Cheltenham Civil Service
Woodmancote United     1     Bishops Cleeve Dev res     0