Cheadle Town Stingers - FAWNL Plate in Sight and Promotion Still on the Cards

Photography by Aidan Hunter

Cheadle Town Stingers currently sit fifth in the Division One North table, but the picture is far tighter than that position alone suggests. Just four points separate them from league leaders Huddersfield Town, while Stockport County Women, who sit fourth on goal difference, have played two more games. With games in hand and the table congested, the run-in promises to be decisive.

On the surface, the Stingers’ league record is solid. Seven wins, four draws and just two defeats would normally keep any side firmly in contention. However, compared to last season’s remarkable return of 16 wins and three draws, the difference is clear. Too many games have ended level and those dropped points are currently the biggest factor holding them back.

The campaign commenced in perfect fashion as six of their total seven wins came in the opening six matches, setting a strong early pace. Nonetheless, the 2–1 defeat to Wythenshawe Women on 29 October appeared to halt that momentum and the side have been searching for the same rhythm ever since.

Indeed their last league victory came at the end of November against Stockport County, a statistic that will raise some concern as the business end of the season approaches. The departure of Dylan Wimbury at the start of 2026 may well have played a part in such recent attacking dip.

Recent results underline the inconsistency that has crept into performances. A goalless draw with Norton & Stockton Ancients at the weekend felt particularly frustrating given the emphatic 4–0 victory in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. There was also a 1–1 draw with Leeds United on 8 February, where the Stingers showed resilience to come back from a half-time deficit. The narrow defeats, a 1–0 home loss to Durham Cestria, arguably the biggest shock of the season, and the earlier 2–1 loss to Wythenshawe Women ,have proven equally costly.

What makes the dropped points more puzzling is the fact the Stingers have already demonstrated they can beat the division’s strongest sides. They opened the season with an impressive 2–1 win over Huddersfield Town and followed it up with a disciplined 1–0 away victory at Leeds United. On their day, they have shown they can match anyone in the league.

Defensively, there is little to criticise. Cheadle Town have conceded just 14 goals all season, a record that has kept them competitive even during lean spells. The issue has been at the other end of the pitch. Across November, December, January and February combined, the Stingers have scored just 10 goals, a sharp drop-off compared to the 19 they registered across the opening three months of the campaign.

Cup competitions, however, have provided plenty of encouragement.

The Stingers are into the quarter-finals of the Manchester FA Women’s Challenge Cup, a competition they know well after lifting the trophy in both the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. They also held Liverpool Feds to a goalless draw in the FAWNL Cup. In the FA Cup, they overcame Chorley 1–0 in the third qualifying round before falling to Middlesbrough in the first round proper , a historic occasion that saw them become one of the first teams to have a match televised at that stage of the competition.

Most notably, the Stingers have reached the FAWNL Plate final after an impressive victory over third-tier Halifax Women. They will face Moneyfields Women on 29 March, with silverware firmly within touching distance against a side currently among the title contenders in Division One South West.

Several fixtures could yet define the promotion race.

The rearranged reverse fixture against Wythenshawe offers a chance to avenge the defeat that disrupted their early momentum, while the return meeting with Durham Cestria provides an opportunity to put right the season’s biggest shock result.

Individually, Imogen Porteous-Williams continues to be the standout attacking threat. She has eight goals to her name this season along with five opposition Player of the Match awards, underlining her importance after scoring 16 last term. Between the posts, new signing Sophie Donald, who arrived from FC United at the start of the campaign, has played a key role in the side’s impressive defensive record.

The broader picture remains extremely positive. Cheadle Town Stingers have made remarkable progress in a short space of time. Only promoted to Division One North for the 2024/25 season, they came agonisingly close to back-to-back promotions last year. Their partnership with Cheadle Town’s men’s side, formed ahead of the 2020/21 season, has helped accelerate that rise and they remain one of the fastest-improving teams in the North.

Ultimately, this season has been defined by fine margins. The Stingers have proven they can compete with the division’s best, but draws against sides they would expect to beat have prevented them from fully capitalising.

Promotion is still very much on the cards and with an FAWNL Plate final looming, there is every chance this campaign could yet end in celebration.