PEGASUS Ladies will be playing in the Midland Combination next season after securing their second successive promotion.

The Combination is the equivalent of Conference level football in the men's game and will pit Pegasus against the likes of Derby County, Leicester City, Long Eaton, Loughborough, Sheffield, TNS and West Bromwich.

The city side have gained promotion after topping the Premier Division of the West Midlands Regional Women's League.

They went into their last two games needing just three points to secure the title but made doubly sure by winning both matches.

Pegasus clinched the championship title at Walsall where they put six goals past the home side. Simone Quinn netted a hat-trick, player of the match Julie Nicholas bagged two and Jade Powell scored the other.

With the pressure off, Pegasus produced some of their best football of the season in their final game which brought a 4-1 home win over Stoke City with Quinn (2), Nicholas and Powell again on target.

The twin successes brought their tally of victories to 20 from their 22 league matches.

To add to their collection of silverware from the season, Pegasus also retained the Hereford and Worcester Challenge Cup with a 3-1 win over fellow city side Phoenix Ladies.

Pegasus conceded an early goal but hit back to win with two goals from Quinn and one from Yvette Greenhouse.

Pegasus have already begun planning for the challenge of the step up and would be interested to hear from any players interested in playing at Combination level or from local companies interested in assisting with sponsorship. Call Julie Nicholas on 0777 1857027 for details.

One player not making the step up is goalkeeper Marcella Furness who has decided to hang up her boots after 17 years of service to women's football in Hereford.

Furness, who began her career as a prolific striker with Hereford United Ladies before becoming a goalkeeper, will retain her connection with the club as a supporter because her daughter Chelsey Snead has now progressed to the first team.