The Swans have learnt that their reward for their 4-1 win at Marlow in the Second Round of the Bluefin Insurance Cup will be a home tie against Witney or Woodley. The date for the tie is still to be confirmed. Witney play Marlow on March 11th to decide who will face The Swans.

The Swans progressed to the Semi Final of the Stroud Charity Cup this evening at Wisloe Road, but were made to work hard by a determined Hardwicke side.

Two first half goals set Slimbridge on the way to victory - Lewis Wilton slotted home on 23 minutes - Wilton then hit the post with a similar opportunity two minutes later. Marvyn Roberts doubled the lead just before Half Time.

The Swans had to wait until 5 minutes from time for their third goal, Roberts being felled in the box, and Tom Cole converting the resultant penalty. There was still time for Richard Workman to have a further effort ruled out for offside with 2 minutes remaining.

Slimbridge will now host Brimscombe in the Semi Final, on a date to be announced.

Team: Evans, Sterling, T Cole, Hine, Wellon, Hazel (Badham 50), Carter, Wood, Roberts, Tustain, Wilton (Workman 74)
Goals: Wilton 23, Roberts 43, T. Cole (Pen) 85

Several games have been announced to be played at Wisloe Road in the next 2 months.

Next Thursday, 4th March, the first Semi Final of the County League Cup Trophy, The Les James Cup will kick off at 7.30pm. The Second Semi Final will be played on Thursday 25th March with the same Kick Off time.

The Gloucestershire Sunday League Cup Finals will be hosted on two consecutive Sundays - April 18th and 25th, with a Kick Off time anticipated to be 10.30am, but this is still to be officially confirmed.

The Swans' home ground will also host both the Senior Amateur Cup Final and the Intermediate Amateur Cup finals during the weeks of April 12th and 19th respectively. Confirmed dates will be announced shortly.

Although the Swans had a free weekend yesterday, Cheltenham Saracens 2-0 defeat of Purton opened up the battle for the title in a fascinating twist.

Saracens took over top spot, a point ahead of the two pace setters, although they have played 3 games more than either the Swans or Purton.

Slimbrige and Purton are now tied on identical records of played 20, won 13, drawn 5, lost 2, with the Swans ahead on goal difference of plus 37 for The Swans, and plus 36 for Purton. This is shaping up to be a very intriguing last stage of the season.....

The Hellenic League West Fixture postponed from February 13th due to the Swans' involvement in the Challenge Cup has been rearranged to Saturday May 1st at Wisloe Road, with a 3pm Kick Off

On a bitterly cold afternoon, a brace of goals late in the second half from Marvyn Roberts saw the Swans maintain their title challenge as they entertained Cricklade Town at Wisloe Road. After an even first half, the Swans bossed the second period, and Roberts' goals were a fair reward for their dominance, although they had to wait until the 75th minute to make the breakthrough. Roberts also converted with a minute left to double the advantage and clinch the points.

The first half was largely uneventful, with few chances for either side. Paul Carter continued his good form and looked lively for the Swans, and Arron Maximen intially caused some problems for the Slimbridge defence, but as Jamie Inch and Will Wellon warmed up and got into the game, his contribution faded as the half progressed. The first real opportunity came in the 10th minute - Carter and Joe Tustain tormented the Cricklade defence all afternoon, and following some good interplay between the two down the right, Tustain was bundled over. Carter's free kick was headed agonisingly wide by Rob Hine.

The Swans were exploiting a very productive channel down the right, and with half an hour on the clock, another break involving Tustain and Roberts saw Tustain shoot over when in a good position. Cricklade replied with a 35 yard piledriver from Richard Blankley which drifted just wide of the Swans' goal with Keeper Dave Evans stranded. As the game started to open up a little, the Swans created the next chance in the 35th minute - a goalmouth scramble which saw Roberts fail to hit the target. Back came Cricklade again, with Evans forced into an impressive save from Max Leslie as the first half came to a close.

The Swans were forced into a half time substitution, Leon Sterling replacing Shane Anson, who suffered a groin injury in the first half. It was Sterling who was involved in the first decent chance of the second half, feeding Marvyn Roberts, in the 47th minute. Roberts won a corner down the right, Carter delivered a good ball into the box, but Rob Hine's header skipped just over the bar. The second half saw a succession of chances for the Swans - As they started to dominate, a flowing move involving Roberts, Carter and Tustain resulted in Tustain just missing the target in the 49th minute.

The pressure and opportunities continued as Tustain brought a good save from Cricklade Keeper Ross a couple of minutes later. It seeemed only a matter of time before the Swans turned their superiority into goals, but they frustratingly failed to convert their chances - Carter's cross in the 55th minute drifted just wide of the far post with the goal gaping, and a minute later, another Carter/Tustain move resulted in Tom Cole's shot being deflected over the bar.

Roberts headed wide in the 61st from James Cole's Cross, but he was finally rewarded in the 75th minute, when another Cole cross saw Tustain win the aerial duel with Keeper Ross, with the ball dropping for Roberts to nod home and finally break the deadlock. Cricklade upped their tempo, but struggled to change the momentum of the game - with Inch and Wellon dominant at the back, Cricklade never looked like pulling the goal back.

Manager James Cole came close to doubling the lead in the 88th minute, when a thunderbolt volley from the edge of the box was deflected over the bar for a corner, but it was Roberts who finally made the game safe a minute later. Chasing a through ball, Roberts was rewarded when Ross and his defender Maulden made a hash of dealing with the situation, and Roberts was left to slide the ball into an empty net after the Cricklade players collided on the edge of the penalty box.

Despite the win, the Swans dropped to second in the Hellenic League West, behind Purton, whose 11-0 demolition of Cirencester United saw them take over the top spot on goal difference, Slimbridge having played one game more than their rivals.

Team: Evans, Anson (Sterling 45), J. Cole, Wellon, Inch, T. Cole, Carter, Hine, Roberts, Tustain, Wilton

Goals: Roberts 75, 89

The Swans will play Harwicke at Wisloe Road in the Quarter Final of the Stroud Charity Cup on February 24th, Kick Off 7.30pm.

The Winners of the tie will be at home to Brimscombe & Thrupp in the Semi Final, at a date to be confirmed.

A superb team performance from Slimbridge saw them reach the next round of the Bluefin Insurance Brokers Challenge Cup at the expense of Premier League Marlow United, with Paul Carter notching the second Swans Hat Trick in 4 days.

Steve Badham started the scoring for Slimbridge in the seventh minute, swinging a free kick in from the right hand corner of the penalty box. Although Marlow equalised on 28 minutes, the Swans regained the lead on 45 minutes when a similar Badham Free Kick was converted home by Paul Carter.

The same pair combined for the Swans' third goal, Carter volleying home from a Badham corner early in the second half on 52 minutes, and Carter completed his Hat Trick on 71 minutes with a cross cum shot into the top corner to send the Swans through to the next round.