Crawley Wasps Ladies and Girls Football Club enjoy a magnificent year - and 2019 will be just as exciting

The Ladies reserves begin the new year top of the South East Counties Premier Division and may end it in the FA Women’s National Reserve League, if all goes as planned.

Reserve team boss Simon Pavey said: “We strengthened as the year went on, helped by the strengthening first team.

“We finished fifth at the end of last season and the start of this season was very good for us. There’s probably one or two in the league who are of a similar standard to ourselves but we still sit top.”

SEE ALSO Crawley Wasps manager Paul Walker delighted as striker is recognised for hat-trick in FA Cup | Crawley Wasps clinch promotion to Premier League | Champions Crawley Wasps celebrate an unbeaten seasonThe club’s under-18s reached two cup finals and later won their league convincingly.

Under-18s manager Mark Graves said: “We’ve had girls now playing in the first team, five or six are regulars also in the reserves – it’s a good thing for them and the club. We’ve also got girls in Sussex representative squads.”

The under-12s and Under-11s continue to develop well, with the former winning their first-ever County Cup game in the process.

Dave Connor said: “The most rewarding thing for us is they’ve become a team, which is a good thing to see at such a young age.”