With 10 games played, Cheltenham Civil Service are exactly a third of the way through their first season back in the Gloucestershire County League division one. We’ll still call this a mid-season review however, as the festive break represents something of a reset for both players and managers.
Beginning with the current standings, Civil Service sit 12th in the table, with games in hand on all but one team above them. Winning four, drawing once and losing five, it’s been a mixed bag of results thus far.
What’s happened so far?
Service opened up with three straight wins in the league, conceding just once in that time. They also kickstarted a cup run in the Gloucestershire FA County Cup with a frantic 5-4 win over Gloucester City U21’s.
Things took a turn for the worse at this point however, losing 2-1 to a Quedgeley Wanderers side struggling near the bottom of the table.
Despite conceding five to Gala Wilton in their next game, Service bounced back in a big way, thrashing Lakeside Firsts 4-0 in the County Cup to continue their goal scoring form in the competition.
This would be their last win in a while, losing 2-0 in back-to-back games against Frampton United and Little Stoke.
Head coach Steve Holend had highlighted way back at the beginning of his sides’ poor run of form that slow starts were costing them dearly.
Next, their cup run came to an end off the pitch due to a player shortage. Gala Wilton were awarded an away walkover, as Service recharged for their next game away to Ruardean Hill Rangers.
After struggling to implement their possession-based style due to a very bobbly pitch, Service drew the game 1-1 despite dominating large portions of play.
Following a disappointing 6-1 defeat to Stoke Gifford United in their next game, Service, along with the rest of league, had their next two games postponed, bringing us to the festive break.
The standout player so far
Despite the team failing to find much consistency, Chisom Obi has always caused problems, using his pace and strength to drag his team forwards. Chipping in with a few goals and assists, Civil Service will need him firing on all cylinders for the remainder of the season if they’re to mount a charge up the table.
Overall Assessment so far
Overall, Service will be disappointed with the way the season has progressed. They’ve shown on occasion that if they can get their passes going in the final third, they can hurt the big teams. However, if they’re to really kick on in 2023, they must address their tendency to concede early on. Communication is also key, as far too often, the coaching team highlights that their players are far too quiet when out on the pitch. If Service can improve in these areas, they’ve got real potential to climb back up the table, especially considering that they’ve got games in hand over all but one of the teams sitting above them in the table.
What head coach Steve Holend had to say on the rest of the season
