CALDICOT Ladies Football Club have lost their appeal against the Welsh FA's decision to oppose their cross-border move to the South West England Ladies League.

But the club is now hopping a move to near-by Tidenham can re-ignite their hopes of playing in the FA Cup.

The English village, just a stone's throw from Chepstow near Tutshill, already has a men's team. Manager Rachel Czajowski has spoken to a member of its committee about using its ground for their home fixture, with the early signs "looking good".

Tidenham FC's committee is due to discuss the proposal very soon.

Rachel is now in the process of completing all the necessary paperwork for the club to be affiliated to the Gloucestershire FA and if all goes as planned, the new club will no longer have any ties to the Welsh FA and will be free to play in the South West Women's League.

Rachel, who received notification of the appeal decision last Thursday, said she hoped the Welsh FA would not try to block this new move.

"I'm hoping the Welsh FA will not intervene any more. There is a lot of red tape ahead and plenty of paperwork, but once we have internationally transferred all our players to the new club, we should not have any problems, I hope, from the Welsh FA," said Rachel.

The Welsh Football Association had originally agreed to Caldicot's South West League move, but revoked their decision, citing an agreement made with the English FA this year to put a halt to any more more cross-border moves by football teams.

Rachel and her team mates have always been desperate to play in the well-established South West League, which offers a much better level of competition than its Welsh counterpart. Rachel admits, though, they would much rather be playing their football there as the Caldicot Ladies.

"We never wanted to do this. I wanted us to stay at Caldicot Town, but to play in the South West Women's League - a proper league competition."

Former team boss John Burrows offered his support.

"They have been hard done by, in my opinion, by the Welsh FA. When I was manager we never had any proper fixtures or league structure. It was a poor man's league. The girls deserve to be playing in the South West League after all their hard work," he said.

If all goes as planned, Rachel and her team mates should be lacing up their boots for league action very soon, though she admits it's doubtful whether they will get back in the FA Cup this season.

"I cannot see us being allowed to re-enter the FA Cup now, which is very disappointing for all of us, but after all the problems we have had it would be nice to just get in the South West Women's League," she said.