Cheltenham Town 3 - 2 Crewe Alexander:

League 2 - Saturday 14th August 2010

I once visited an old school friend in rehab - he didn't last too long after discharge. Whilst resident he amused himself by stealing the keys of a locked ward and freeing the inmates. Recklessly mad & funny all at the same time; real life 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'.

I have a new un-used season ticket. The Robins have started without me and so far its all second hand news. At least I can get texts in rehab. My treatment consists of family do's in pleasant enough surroundings. Getting back on the Cheltenham Town 'smack' may not be all I imagine it to be - another season of angst awaits.

The first home game and I was handing round the cava & nibbles whilst my mobile was going mad. I tried to explain - 'I'm a patient here' - they couldn't fathom it - what was he on? So up and down - but with this being fed to me was it so unreasonable?

#1 ~ PISSING down - my I've missed this!

#2 ~ Whadney looking pretty sharp - certainly nippier on his pins than JJ. And a crowd that is well into double figures.

#3 ~ 0-1 cracking goal after 3 mins. Tho C'ham actually looking quite good.

#4 ~ 1-1 after 22 mins - and it really has been all Robins

#5 ~ Won't be easy ~ Crewe goalie playing a stormer

#6 ~ CA looking good on the break ~ and are starting to do so more often.

#7 ~ 2-1 ~ and deserved

#8 ~ 2-1 at HT ~ but there's a lot of football left in this one. C'ham really quite slick and impressive going forward and well worth their lead ~ but Crewe not bad on the break & have had their chances...

#9 ~ AND Brown has thrown rather than kicked the ball out not once, not twice but THREE times!

#10 ~ Only took them 3 minutes of the second half to equalise. Brown fast asleep. 2-2

#11 ~ 3-2 ~ and a very well worked goal by Goulding

#12 ~ Non-stop stuff

#13 ~ Seems inevitable someone will score soon

#14 ~ 10 mins to go ~ and Crewe beginning to look the more likely to score - Betablocker time.

#15 ~ All getting a bit more ragged. We seem more tired.

#16 ~ 4 mins added

#17 ~ All Crewe

#18 ~ Everyone whistling

#19 ~ Made it! Phew!

#20 ~ Great game ~ and 80 good minutes by C'ham but they really ran out of steam. Encouraging signs but thank God we're out of the Carling Cup!

'Sorry to have been a little distracted. I'm my self again. Another white wine anyone.......'

Bring on the 2010-11 season - but not just yet

The season ticket has been purchased. So it's going to happen all over again. The cycle of life on the terraces will turn again. It makes me feel a little sick at the thought. Don't let it come too soon. I need some recovery time.

But then again if Cheltenham had managed only 8 more wins in the season they would have been on 72 points instead of 48 and in the play-offs. Now that's the kind of 'if only' thinking which characterises an addict.... And addiction is not a disease according to Julian Savulescu but a "form of human weakness & imprudence"..... sounds about right.

http://virtualphilosopher.com/2010/05/addiction-nigel-warburton-interviews-walter-sinnottarmstrong-and-julian-savulescu.html

Cheltenham Town 1 - 1 Accrington Stanley

Football League 2: Staurday 8th May

What an emotional week its been. Martin Horwood (a club supporter) survives as Cheltenham's MP and the Robins sit with their backsides on the relegation trap door with Grimsby down below sleeping with the fishes. A hung Parliament seemed the least of our worries but by half time the fates had decided. We were staying up.

Unlike previous last ditch relegation battles this one did not take place in glorious sunshine; it was cold and wet. Cheltenham arrived in new kit with a new badge. No complaints. It’s nothing to get upset about.

You got the feeling that a few other changes will be following this match. Julian Alsop's departure looks almost certain. He was fan's player of the year and after discharging his shirt into the C&G revisited them with a daughter and the trophy. No complaints. He has worked his socks off. I have only one regret; that he's not miked-up during a game. Today he was engaged in what may or may not have been good natured rivalry with the Accrington central defenders. I could have sworn he made to do a Vinny Jones (an act of intimate interference) on their no.31. One suspects he also provides an entertainingly foul-mouthed running commentary to entrance and distract the opposition. Tapes could be sold.

The Norwegian fans player of the year was Justin Richards and on today's showing it was deserved. (A Scandinavian contingent, I never fail to be impressed and bemused). When he's got Elito and others to work with Richards is skillful. He can stay. I think he will get better. Low's fabulous goal came after a second quick and intricate attacking move the two were involved in. You thought more would come and an Alsop farewell clincher would have been it hadn't the keeper pulled off a good save.

The Cheltenham defence looked reasonably safe until they went sleepy-byes and the teams then went in all square at half time. Having gathered around the wireless they probably realised that the second half need not trouble anyone too much. No need to start the holiday in Majorca with a groin strain. If either team were going to score it would be by accident, a stupid mistake or a bit of individual genius. As none was forthcoming the honours were shared.

Alsop went off so Barry Hayles could have his last run around and Lee Ridley was replaced by Scott Brown. This looked indicative of the coming reshuffle.

The Accrington fans got restless at times and engaged in their own bit of crowd trouble. They lost a couple of supporters to the Gloucestershire Constabulary and St. John’s Ambulance. It no doubt brightened up their day. The Cheltenham fans were reasonably noisy and more forgiving than they have been.

So farewell then 2009-2010 season. Was it worth the heart medication, cold feet and anxiety neurosis. Was it the magic thinking and ritualistic obsessive behaviours the unhinged fan resorts to in times of despond which kept you up? Or was it the presence of two obligingly hopeless teams below you? Did Cheltenham start to find some new spirit under Mark Yates? Will the future be golden? Should I get another season ticket to guarantee watching the cup-run next season?

Too soon to say………

Cheltenham Town: S P A Brown; A Lescott, A Gallinagh, M Townsend, L Ridley (S Brown 74); J Low, M Pook, M Thornhill, M Elito; J Alsop (B Hayles 81), J Richards (L Almond 88). Subs not used: D Hutton, M Watkins, A Eastham, W Puddy.

Accrington Stanley: I Dunbavin; L Richardson, A Proctor, B Grant, P Edwards, C Turner, S McConville (B Kee 67), M Symes, P Murphy (J Mullin 58), T Lees, J Flynn. Subs not used: D Bouzanis, J Miles, L Joyce, G King, Z Riley.
Referee: D Deadman.
Attendance: 3,856 (219 from Accrington).

Cheltenham Town 1 - 2 Aldershot

Damian Spencer
League Two Saturday 24th April 2010

Two fairly evenly matched teams worked hard and made a scrap of it on a sunny afternoon at Whaddon Road. The season is almost done with, survival seems statistically probable (but not certain) and it’s been a roller-coaster ride. We need to bury this season. I’ve spent too much time standing in the same spot and worrying for 90 minutes on a regular basis. One more stress inducing 90 minutes and we can throw a wreath on this little mound of trouble and struggle.

Nice to see Damian Spencer again. He looks good in blue. Deeply relieved he didn't score or surprise us with a new lease of life. In fact he didn’t seem as keyed up and aggressive. Looks like he’s also lost a few pounds. Maybe they’ve tried to calm him down a bit at Aldershot. Anyway it meant we could do the decent thing and applaud him off when he was substituted.

Not long after Spencer’s departure Alsop replaced Barry Hayles and Cheltenham lost some cutting edge. I wouldn’t like to say the Shots gained some; that wouldn’t be nice to Damian.

They stayed two fairly evenly matched teams in League Two terms for most of the match. Some grafters, some mentally unstable and confused individuals between rehab sessions as well as good basic workmen, some nearly men and young light-weights who may or may not shape up. It was the motivation and speed of getting an attack organised which seemed to eventually earn the visitors all the points. They did work for them and eventually Cheltenham ran short of luck and concentration.

With a penalty apiece and ten minutes to go Cheltenham were happy to leave it like that. Barry Hayles was brought down by the keeper and Richards put the spoils in the bag on 14 minutes. Then from the other end of the ground, three minutes after the restart, you could clearly see Richard’s hand reaching for a high ball. Had he begun life as a keeper? Had he regretted the change in career path? Does he have a death wish?

In the dying minutes the Shots showed no sign of throwing in the towel. They probably didn’t want to spend too much time with the management if they failed to deliver all three points to the dug-out. The violent emotions and hammering on it's plastic walls gave the impression that it could get nasty. Dean Morgan wasn’t going away empty handed. He neatly lobbed the ball over a sleeping Lescott and scored a very good winner. No complaints. No time to crawl back. Morgan deserved it.

It left me wondering about which category of player Lescott represents as well as some of the others. Who will be here next season? Will I be here next season?

Cheltenham Town: S P A Brown; A Gallinagh, M Townsend, A Eastham, A Lescott; J Low, M Pook, M Thornhill, M Elito; B Hayles (J Alsop 84), J Richards.

Subs: L Ridley, S Brown, D Hutton, L Almond, M Watkins, W Puddy.

Aldershot: J Young; C Blackburn, A Brown (D Winfield 90), A Charles, A Sandell; M Jackson (K Hudson 90), A Straker, S Donnelly, D Morgan; D Spencer (J Halls 77), M Morgan.

Subs: L Soares, D Hylton, R Connolly, M Jaimez-Ruiz.

Referee: P N Gibbs.

Attendance: 3,386 (767 from Aldershot).

Cheltenham Town 3 - 3 Darlington

League 2, Tuesday 20th April

I wonder if the outcome of this game would have been the same if it had been played on 30th January. Then Darlington were struggling and Cheltenham were desperate to get points. On this fairly chilly Tuesday at Whaddon Road the visitors were already relegated and Cheltenham were on the brink of survival after a couple of good wins and two scoreless draws away from home.

But were Darlington going to roll over and die? Unfortunately not. They had nothing to play for other than self respect, their contracts and the scouts sitting in the stands. So with nothing to lose they were 2-0 up within four minutes. The second an own goal by Eastham.

Cheltenham were sound asleep from the outset - almost as if the win was a forgone conclusion. There was no need to wake-up before the pitch invasion and delirious celebration of league survival.

Without Townsend the defence were certainly not out of bed. Neither was Duff his old self. Suffice to say that they leaked two soft goals sponsored by Slumberland. On six minutes we expected the third to follow. So far there was one every two minutes. The forty odd visiting fans had ensured that the relative silence which met their efforts gave the place a surreal edge. Was this really happening?

Yes it was. The failure of anyone to notice Duff’s distress led to the third goal. He was struggling and a weak back pass was robbed and neatly dispatched - good-night. Shall we retire to our beds? Can we be bothered to watch the dramatic fight back? Put the electric blanket on.

Pook’s lob into the net on 27 minutes made it seem worth while. He’s getting to be a useful player. He certainly woke up first this evening. Strong coffee and a good slapping from Yates brought the rest of the Cheltenham team around during half time. They were then sent out early for some fresh air.

The defence was still a bit edgy but Gallinagh was busy and broke up the sorts of moves which had been working for Darlington. But they could still spoil things. We could also throw any gains away with relative ease.

Two good goals were generated by an enlivened Cheltenham. A solo effort from Richards within a minute of the restart could make him look quite expensive if included on a show reel. He also scored it with his left foot – variety. The energised Pook then set up Elito who enjoys a goal.

Thirty minutes left. The C & G sang ‘we want seven’ – a seven o’clock wake-up call perhaps? Cheltenham didn’t give up but gradually the momentum seemed to go out of it. There was still the chance of throwing the hard won point away. The ref blew for time before the corner which was going to guarantee survival could be taken.

Time for bed…….

Cheltenham Town: S P A Brown; A Lescott, S Duff (A Gallinagh 27), A Eastham, L Ridley; J Low (M Watkins 73), M Pook, M Thornhill, M Elito; J Alsop (B Hayles 78), J Richards. Subs not used: S Brown, D Hutton, L Almond, W Puddy.

Darlington: S Redmond; A Milne, A White, M Bower, S Giddings; C Moore, G Dempsey, G Smith, D Groves; T Purcell (M Smith 39), M Diop. Subs not used: N Liversedge, M Convery, S Madden, N Mulligan, J McReady, D Burn.
Referee: R East.
Attendance: 2,836 (42 from Darlington).

Cheltenham Town 5 - 2 Bury

League 2, Saturday 10th April

You wait for one win, get two and then a third. The busses keep coming. Cheltenham are pulling themselves together. But there’s still time to bugger it up.

It's a bit odd that the teams at the bottom of this league suddenly wake up towards the end of the season. Torquay beat Rochdale 5-0 (still the best team to have played at Whaddon Road this season) and Hereford duly lost to Grimsby who are dourly holding on and refusing to die. Neither will Lincoln who beat Bournemouth.

After this game had settled down the chances of a low scoring draw seemed on the cards. Cheltenham had a few early stabs at goal and Bury seemed capable of some nippy play. Evidently they had not performed on such a good surface all season and brought the wrong boots; there was a lot of slipping and sliding.

That was the opinion of my Shakers informant who was at the visitors end. She also thought that Richards was off-side before their goalie brought him down. This would not have been at all unusual. However, there was no debate about their keeper being the last man and that he executed a fine trip. If he had any sense he would have let Richards go through. He might have tripped over his own feet. It would also have been better for Bury to be 1-0 down with 11 men rather than 10. The penalty was duly taken by Richards with aplomb.

The last time Cheltenham had a one man advantage they had no idea what to do with it. This time they had some luck and a bit more determination. The luck came with a Josh Low cross to Richards waiting at the far post which floated into the goal before it got to him. The effort came from Thornhill who ran onto an Alsop lay off and made no mistake. A great goal. No complaints from the visitor’s end.

Then Cheltenham were 3-0 up with half an hour left. What to do? Score some more or go to sleep? They chose the latter. Where was Wakey-Wakey? This was his moment. It was 3-2 before you could say ‘remarkable fight back for ten man Bury who snatch victory from jaws of defeat at lowly Cheltenham’.

Cheltenham eventually came to their senses and finished Bury off. Low was starting to run around with impunity and could even be called ‘rampant’. He went for a stroll through the Bury defence and got his second which halted the resurgent opposition. Barry Hayles was then set up by Low to deliver the coup de grace. The reunion with my Shaker guest was going to be difficult. There was me thinking she would have to lay on the sympathy. To make up I had to promise her that Cheltenham will beat Rotherham.

It was a big win but messy at times with some worrying moments. The second Bury goal came from a typical Cheltenham shambles. This team could win a few more but then again there are some troublesome fixtures ahead. Hereford did not do us any favours.

My resentment against Hereford is fueled by paranoid ideas that they are conspiring against Cheltenham. There is the basis of a serious rivalry building. With Gloucester City’s ground share of Whaddon Road coming up next season this could be useful. We have to find a way of accommodating an ancient rival. A new bitter enemy in the next county could go a long way to resolving an embarrassing problem between cohabitees.

Cheltenham goals:
Richards (pen) 37
Thornhill 46
Low 52
Low 85
Hayles 86

Bury goals:
Lowe (pen) 80
Lowe 82

Cheltenham: S Brown; D Bird, S Duff, M Townsend (A Eastham 80), L Ridley; J Low, M Pook, M Thornhill (A Gallinagh 53), M Elito; J Richards, J Alsop (B Hayles 69). Subs not used: D Hutton, L Almond, W Puddy, D Andrew.

Bury: W Brown; P Scott, R Cresswell, E Sodje, D Buchanan; D Worrall (A Morrell 62), B Barry-Murphy, S Dawson, J Poole (C Belford 36); A Bishop (D Carlton 69), R Lowe. Subs not used: S Hewson, B Futcher, T Newey, K Parker.

Referee: P T Crossley.

Attendance: 3,071 (300 from Bury).

Crewe Alexandra 1 - 2 Cheltenham Town

League 2: Monday 5th April

A bit like waiting for a bus really. You stand there on the terraces for hours and then two wins come along, one after another. Not only that, Justin Richards scored both goals. It was notable on Saturday that he was warmly applauded as he was substituted. He may have got over that unloved feeling.

Grimsby are not giving up and won again. They could do it again on Saturday at Hereford who look safe but are no where near a play off place. Which Bury are; so Cheltenham probably have the tougher task.

Am I looking forward to the next game? Maybe, just a bit.

Crewe Alexandra: S Phillips; J Brayford, M Mitchel-King, D O'Donnell (C Martin 77), M Tootle; L Murphy (C Zola 57), S Schumacher, J Bailey, J Grant; C Donaldson, S Miller Subs not used: A Legzdins, P Ada, D Shelley, H Worley, S Walton.

Cheltenham Town: S P A Brown; A Gallinagh, M Townsend (A Eastham 86), S Duff, D Andrew; D Bird, M Thornhill, M Pook, J Low; B Hayles (L Almond 90), J Richards. Subs not used: W Puddy, J Alsop, D Hutton, L Ridley, S Brown.

Referee: A Haines.

Attendance: 3,488 (247 from Cheltenham).