Cheltenham Civil Service Ladies secured the 2025/26 GFA Women’s Challenge Cup with a commanding 3-0 victory against league rivals City of Gloucester Women at Kayte Lane on Thursday evening.
Goals from Jess Brown, who scored twice, and Kaydee Wheeler sealed the win and the silverware for Maxine Greenwood’s side.
The match started with a bang as Brown volleyed a long-range effort into the net in just the second minute, catching goalkeeper Erin Strahan off guard and giving Cheltenham Civil Service an early lead.
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City of Gloucester responded with a free-kick from Lou Norden in the 15th minute but were unable to convert; Penny Fletcher managed to block the attempt before it was cleared.
Cheltenham Civil Service continued to pressure, with Riley testing Strahan’s goalkeeper skills on a counterattack. City’s top scorer Kacie Anderson threatened to equalize near the half-hour mark but had two efforts thwarted—one saved by Fletcher and another cleared off the line.
Defender Querene Mbanza and goalkeeper Strahan combined to deny Brown a second goal late in the first half. The halftime score remained 1-0 in favor of Cheltenham Civil Service.
The second half mirrored the first, with Greenwood’s squad maintaining attacking momentum. Riley and substitute Mary-Ann Gittings created opportunities, though they couldn’t extend the lead immediately.
The breakthrough came with just over 10 minutes remaining when substitute Kaydee Wheeler finished a by-line cross to double the lead. Shortly after, a long-range shot from Riley was tipped over by Strahan.
As the game approached its final moments, Anderson’s attempt to reduce the deficit was saved by Fletcher, who stood firm to keep a clean sheet.
In added time, Brown secured her brace by slotting home Cheltenham Civil Service’s third goal, sealing a memorable victory.
Manager Maxine Greenwood praised her team’s performance: “It’s an unbelievable feeling. The girls have been absolutely phenomenal. I’m so proud of every single one of them. City of Gloucester gave us a great challenge and battled hard, but we were ready for it.”
While the cup win is a significant achievement, Greenwood emphasized that the team’s main goal remains winning the Gloucestershire County Women’s Football League Division Two and earning promotion to Division One.
“This cup victory is a fantastic bonus, but our focus is firmly on the league now as we aim to secure promotion,” Greenwood concluded.