The County Cup came knocking this weekend for many of the teams in Division One and Two of the Cheltenham League with just three league matches across the two divisions, writes Rob Morrison.

The previous weekend Newton FC were just minutes away from taking a point off Division One leaders Cheltenham Civil Service before Jimmy Hall popped up and stole the points for Service.

Their victory was made even sweeter when they learned that Upton Town, the only team in the division with a 100 per cent record, had been beaten 4-1 by Bishop’s Cleeve III.

With just one league match in the division, Upton had an immediate opportunity to get back to winning ways when they hosted RSG.

After some early season struggles RSG went into the game off the back of two victories against fellow strugglers Shurdington Rovers and Whaddon United Reserves.

Upton knew that a win would take them into the top four and they duly obliged with a 3-2 win.

Division Two leaders The Beeches claimed all three points on the last weekend of October with a 4-3 win over Gala Wilton Reserves to confirm their place in top spot.

There were just two matches in the division, one of which provided bottom club Andoversford Reserves with the chance to claim their first points of the season.

While their first team took the Division Two title last season, the reserves have struggled following their promotion and this week would once again prove a challenge, as they hosted a Bredon Reserves team who had won three of their five games.

Like Andoversford, Bredon played in Division Three last term although they ran eventual champions FC Barometrics all the way before ending up in the runners-up spot. They were firm favorites to take all three points and lived up to their billing with a 6-2 win.

In the other game Hanley Swan and Prestbury went goal mad in a game that saw 10 goals, six of which went to Swan.

There were plenty of games in Division Three although leaders AFC Renegades’ game at FC Barometrics was postponed.

That gave St Paul’s United a chance to pile on the pressure at the top even though they hosted a Windyridge Rovers team who are a pretty decent team themselves.

In Dave Keylock, Rovers boast an out and out goalscorer who had struck 25 goals in all competitions before the end of October.

However, he drew a blank against all-conquering St Paul’s who won 4-0 to take over at the top of the table.

A disappointing pre-season, which saw their first team fold, has not hampered Leckhampton Rovers’ progress in the league. Formerly their reserve team, Rovers started their game against Kings Reserves in fifth spot.

Kings on the other hand have not had the start they would have hoped for, claiming just three points from their opening five games. On paper Rovers looked the favourites and this proved to be the case as they won 4-3.

There was a big match at the bottom of the table for Cheltenham United as they travelled to play Cheltenham Civil Service III, the team above them.

United, one of the newer clubs in the league, were the brainchild of Simon Meadows who represented them for a number of years both on the pitch and in the role of club secretary before stepping down. As a former Service player, Meadow was no doubt keeping a keen eye on the outcome of this match.

With points at a premium the home team stole a march on their visitors with a 3-1 win.

Sitting directly above Service at kick-off were Dowty Dynamos Reserves. Dowty kick-started their season the previous weekend as doubles from Gary Parris-Mun, Ryan Attwood and Luke Mills helped them to their first points of the season as they beat Cheltenham United 6-3.

Dowty were looking to add to their tally as they hosted Charlton Rovers Reserves, a team who themselves are looking for points as they seek to climb the table. After 90 minutes Dowty had their second win of the season, a 4-3 success moving them to within a point of Rovers.

In the final match in the division Falcons Reserves travelled to FC Lakeside Reserves. The two teams played the reverse fixture the previous weekend and Lakeside’s 4-2 victory suggested that the odds would be in their favour. However, Falcons’ Stuart Hendy was on a revenge mission, firing a hat-trick as his team won 4-1.

With leaders Prestbury Rovers not in action in Division Four the door was open for Malvern Vale, the second-placed team, who went into their match at Winchcombe Town Reserves knowing victory would take them top, albeit having played two games more than Rovers.

After struggling last season Winchcombe have had a better start to this campaign, although six points from six matches is not form which is likely to worry the leading teams.

Taking the field as favourites, Vale left it with a big question mark over their title credentials after they were beaten 4-3.

Starting the day just below Vale, Welland Reserves were handily placed and facing a struggling Fintan Reserves, who had just three points to their name at kick-off, Welland would have expected to take all three points.

Their expectations were not met however as they were surprisingly beaten 4-3.

Another team with an interest in matters at the right end of the table are Woodmancote United. In their inaugural season, four wins from six has seen them start brightly in a division that can be notoriously difficult to get out of.

Woodmancote faced Cheltenham Saracens III, one of the area’s most established clubs. Sitting in mid-table, it was the sort of game that Saracens would need to take points from if they were to be considered a top half team. The result suggested that Saracens may need to set their expectation a little lower as they were hammered 7-1.

Gala Wilton III are another team who are well placed should the top teams slip up, and they would have fancied their chances of remaining in touch with the leaders when they faced bottom club Charlton Rovers III on Saturday.

While Rovers’ first team are excelling in Division One of the Northern Senior League, their third string, and reserve team for that matter, are not enjoying the same level of success. With no points to their name after four matches they had not started the season well and they fared no better on Saturday as they lost 4-1.

The general feeling around Smiths Athletic Reserves is much improved both on and off the pitch, and the results for the team are a vast improvement on last season when they managed just seven points. The team have already gone past that total this year, reaching nine after their opening six matches.

While perhaps not yet in a position to be considered title contenders, that could all change with a strong run of wins starting in Saturday’s game against Andoversford III who have made an uncertain start to the campaign.

And the match went to form as Smiths completed a 3-1 win.

The final match saw Bishop’s Cleeve Development Reserves face Malvern Vale Academy. Both teams started the day in mid-table although with just six points separating seven places, one or two wins can make a real difference.

As it was, it was Vale who kicked on as they recorded a 5-3 win.