Cheltenham Civil Service Ladies are flying high as they look to regain their place in Division One of the Women’s County League.

They have won nine and drawn one of their 12 games in Division Two this season and with six fixtures remaining have a nine-point advantage over the chasing pack.

The two teams immediately below them, City of Gloucester Women and Newent Town Women, have played two games and three games fewer than them respectively, but Service have a better goal difference than both of them.

“It’s been a good season so far,” said  Service manager Maxine Greenwood. “The aim is to win promotion back to the top division at the first attempt.”

Service’s season was decimated by injuries last time out – they finished bottom of Division One – but they are now in a much healthier position.

“The players are fit, we’ve got the squad back together,” said Greenwood. “It’s been a major turnaround this season, we’re scoring lots of goals and it’s looking good.”

They’ve scored 50 goals in the league this season with Jessica Brown and Gemma Riley leading the way.

“Jessica is a phenomenal player, incredible,” continued Greenwood. “She plays on the wing and scores a lot of goals.

“Gemma is a centre-forward, she’s been with us a long time, she’s prolific.”

New goalkeeper Penny Fletcher is making sure they are secure at the back, too, as the club look to revive their glory days.

They were runners-up to Cirencester Town Ladies in Division One in 2023/24, a year after winning the Women’s Challenge County Cup.

And they’re going well in the County Cup again this season and host Downend Flyers Women Reserves in a quarter-final tie on Sunday 15^th February.

Greenwood is targeting success in both the league and the cup but if she could win only one this season, she is no doubt which one she would prefer.

“The league,” she said. “That’s the priority, we want to go back up,”

They’ll be looking for three more points when they play at Mangotsfield United Women Reserves tomorrow.