Cheltenham Town 1 - 1 Port vale

League 2, Saturday 20th March 2010


I don't like opposition goal keepers who wear orange kit. The last one (see 23rd January 2010) cast a 'fluence' on our strikers. This one stopped some shots but looked beatable; although admittedly it was only managed once.

Medy Elito bundled the ball over to bring the scores level. He says on his player profile that he's not so good at tracking back. Today he put in a good shift. He was all over the place and was flattened a couple of times by attempts to kick him out of the game. The first earned the opponent a yellow card and the second should have been a penalty; well it would have been very nice anyway.

Cheltenham were good value this afternoon and if they weren't sitting on the trap-door I could even have enjoyed the game. Port Vale were a tough physical side who worked well in attack, finding space and creating danger. At least that was the impression in the first half when after 10 minutes of absorbing a little pressure from Cheltenham's bright start they took the defence apart and scored what I thought would be the first of many. I would imagine that was what the visiting supporters were expecting after their goal fest at Chesterfield last Saturday.

Shane Duff and Michael Townsend renewed their partnership in central defence. After such a long lay-off this is not too soon. Townsend was not happy with Lescott's performance at left back. A striker called Almond took Elvis Hammond's shirt and made a good fist of it. I have no idea where he came from but he can stay. Thornhill looked like he really wanted a goal and he deserved one. The crossbar at the C&G end was nearly shattered by a fantastic early effort.

So honours even. Everyone happy and still four points and a game in hand over Grimsby who pulled off a hand assisted win (ref failed to spot that one). So anything can happen.......... and probably will


Cheltenham Town: S Brown; A Lescott, M Townsend, S Duff, D Andrew; D Bird, M Thornhill, M Pook, M Elito; J Richards, L Almond (J Alsop 65). Subs not used: L Ridley, A Gallinagh, D Hutton, M Watkins, W Puddy, B Hayles.

Port Vale: J Anyon; L Collins, J McCombe, G Owen, K Taylor; L Haldane (S Rigg 71), T Fraser (D Loft 71), A Griffith, R Taylor (L Dodds 61); M Richards, C Davies. Subs not used: A Yates, C Martin, S Richman, S Morsy.

Referee: G Ward.

Attendance: 3,503 (695 from Port Vale).

Burton Albion 5 - 6 Cheltenham Town

League Two: Saturday 13th March 2010

I turned the radio on in hope rather than anticipation just after Cheltenham had gone to 2-3 with a Townsend own goal. It sounded as if they were still in with a chance. Then they went to 2-4. I lost the will to live and turned off.

At 10 to five I turned it back on again to hear the final damage. An hysterical commentaor said Burton Albion 5 and was meant to say Cheltenham Town 2. Instead he kept repeating Burton Albion 5 Cheltenham Town 5 and was pleading with the ref to blow for time. Then Pook got the winner and his hat-trick. I danced around the kitchen.

I liked this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A64881084

Burton Albion:
Harrad 2, Harrad (pen) 32, Townsend (og) 58, Kabba 72, Kabba 85

Cheltenham Town:
Richards 54, Elito 56, Pook 84, Pook 87, Richards 90, Pook 90+4

BURTON ALBION: A Krysiak; A Corbett, T James, T Parkes, P Boertien; C Taylor, J McGrath, R Penn, J Maghoma; S Kabba, S Harrad. Subs: K Poole, A Webster, R Walker, J Phillips, G Pearson, R Boco, K Grocott.

CHELTENHAM TOWN: S Brown; J Low (L Ridley 16), M Townsend, A Eastham, A Lescott; D Hutton, A Gallinagh (J Alsop 64), M Pook, M Thornhill, M Elito; J Richards. Subs: S Duff, M Watkins, W Puddy, D Andrew, B Hayles.

REFEREE: C Boyeson.

ATTENDANCE: 2,500.

Cheltenham Town 0 - 1 Chesterfield

Football League 2: Saturday 7th March 2010

I didn't go.

Cheltenham Town: S Brown; A Lescott, M Townsend, A Eastham, L Ridley (M Watkins 82); J Low, M Pook, M Thornhill, M Elito; B Hayles (J Alsop 63), J Richards.
Subs: S Duff, A Gallinagh, D Hutton, W Puddy, D Andrew.

Chesterfield: T Lee; D Gray, R Page, I Breckin, A Goodall; S Whaley, M Allott, D Niven, A Rundle; B Conlon (G Madine 90), W Small (S Boden 76).
Subs not used: K Austin, D Boshell, M Crossley, A Whing, C Clay.

Referee: A D'Urso.
Attendance: 3,006 (402 from Chesterfield).

Cheltenham Town 0 - 1 Hereford United

Football League 2: Tuesday 2nd March 2010

I've got better things to do than stand around in the cold watching matches like this. Well obviously I haven't. I was still prepared to stand there when it was evident Cheltenham wouldn't score even if we all hung around until midnight. Singing 'what a load of rubbish' at the final whistle seemed unnecessary. It was perfectly obvious. No one needed to be informed.

The statutory defensive shambles gave away the goal. This cancelled out a fairly promising start from Cheltenham. But these were two poor teams. Random chance plays an increasingly influential role as the skill levels decline.

Hereford were reduced to ten men just before half time. They often say this is a difficult number to play against. Cheltenham would have found nine tricky and eight impenetrable.

Its not worth making any more observations about the match. As far as I'm concerned this is the end.........

Cheltenham Town: S Brown; D Bird (M Watkins 45), A Gallinagh (E Hammond 89), A Eastham, L Ridley; D Hutton (J Richards 70), M Pook, M Thornhill, J Low; B Hayles, J Alsop. Subs not used: W Puddy, T Lewis, D Andrew.

Hereford United: A Bartlett; R Green, R Rose, D Preston, R Valentine; M Pugh, J McQuilkin, K Lunt, E Sonko; L Constantine (K Lowe 82), G McCallum (M Manset 76).
Sub not used: L Morris, S Gwynne, T Weir, M Done.

Referee: A Taylor. Attendance: 3,273 (495 from Hereford).

Northampton Town 2 - 1 Cheltenham Town

Football League 2: Saturday 27th February 2010.

Another late goal against the Robins..... sod it. The statistics for this match are revealing. Cheltenham had 69% of the play on a heavy pitch but fewer corners (5 to 12) or shots on or off of target (6 to 14). I'll have to wait to read the Echo as there was no radio coverage. Watkins scored and was booked for his celebration. What did the 18 year old manage to get up to?

There is a move to change the image of the club. New badge / logo etc. When living in Swindon donkey's years ago they did the same. I thought something was lost when the steamengine was removed from the club badge (although admittedly the railway works had just been Thatchered).

Meanwhile Hereford on Tuesday night.......

(Northampton Town; J Steele; J Johnson, C Hinton, D Beckwith, P Gilbert; P Rodgers (C Herbert 86), A Osman, J Curtis, L Davis (A Dyer 77); A Akinfenwa (S Harris 64), B McKay.

Subs: P Walker, G Mulligan, M Jacobs, S O'Flynn.

Cheltenham Town: S Brown; D Bird, A Gallinagh, A Eastham, L Ridley (M Watkins 64); M Pook, D Andrew, J Low, D Hutton; E Hammond (B Hayles 46), J Richards (J Alsop 46).

Subs: S Duff, K Haynes, W Puddy, T Lewis.

Referee: T Kettle.

Attendance: 4,428 (257 from Cheltenham).

Cheltenham Town 1 - 1 Torquay United

Football League 2 - Tuesday 23rd February 2010

If Carayol, the late Torquay substitute, was asked to thread a ball through the legs of two defenders as well as those of the keeper and score again we would still be there 48 hours later waiting for him to do it. Surely Ridley, Gallinagh and Brown will have had bad dreams about it. Its taken two of my nights sleep to feel able to even think about that evening on the terraces. Let's hope they get over it quicker than I have.

Not a difficult story to tell. The old game of two halves. The slight down-hill and a cold 30 mph wind, plus swirling rain advantage in the first half. Luck, conditions and confidence in our favour followed by reverse of fortunes. The second half was tough stuff. Torquay were not laying down and playing doggo like they should have done. They didn't play like a team with fewer points than us - sod them.

Alsop, Saturday's hero, was captain and up for it. He ran himself ragged and I wonder if he had not had the arm-band whether he would have been pulled off. Instead Hayles was replaced by Hammond who did a lot of slipping and sliding.

We were more toothless as the second half wore on but there was no doubt that this team was playing to win. Despite the rain and cold the pleasant whiff of revenge was in the air (at the outset it stood at 9-1 to them for the season).

Cheltenham started like there was a 20 point cushion under them. For some games we've waited 30 minutes to get a corner, this time there were four in a row in the first minutes. It was a matter of when the goal was coming, not if.

When the goal did come it was a wonderful fluke. Hayles sent over a lovely flighted ball from near the right corner flag. It was obviously aimed at the towering Alsop. Only it went in all by itself. Great moment. Let's have another. Only we didn't. A fantastic strike from Bird's free kick was touched over and then the chances dried up - but not the weather.

A good performances in mid-field from Pook and Hutton is getting better. The very quick Swindon loanee (Macklin) contained by defenders and Low's pace (was it like playing against Vincent I wonder?). We were not missing Townsend too badly. Not having him now makes me nervous; but to be honest there is not much that doesn't make me nervous when watching this team.

It may have been the effect of the anticipation of relief at the final whistle approaching being shot away, being very cold, wet etc etc etc but the Torquay goal put me off football for a bit.

Cheltenham Town: S Brown; D Bird, A Eastham, A Gallinagh, L Ridley; D Hutton (D Andrew 85), M Pook, M Thornhill (T Lewis 46), J Low; B Hayles (E Hammond 71), J Alsop. Subs not used: S Duff, J Richards, M Watkins, W Puddy.

Torquay United: S Bevan; C Robertson, M Ellis, G Branston, L Rowe-Turner; L Macklin (M Carayol 84), N Wroe, T Thompson, C Zebroski; A Barnes (J Thomson 71), E Benyon. Subs not used: K Nicholson, D Stevens, A Smith, E O'Kane, M Searle.

Referee: K G Evans.

Attendance: 2,607 (344 from Torquay).

Cheltenham Town 2 - 0 Morcambe

League 2: Saturday 20th February 2010

Hard working old pro's, beyond their best but with a few tricks up their sleeves. Julian Alsop was man of the match and scored a header from almost exactly the same spot as his previous goal........ now when was that? A long time ago.

On the previous occasion Jules ran off into the arms of Martin Allen to celebrate. This time he went to the stands where I imagine a proud Mrs. Alsop and the kids were sitting. He had just equaled the club record. Mrs. Alsop could feel justly proud and just a teeny bit apprehensive about the evening which awaited her.

Should responsible people put a good bottle of champagne into the hands of an over excited and physically exhausted man at that time of the day? The sun was not under the yard-arm. What will he be like at 3am? It's the neighbours I feel sorry for. He's fitter now than the last time he scored. He almost lasted to the end of this game. He could make it through to morning.

Meanwhile Julian's straight man tried a few tricks at the other end. At a chill but sunny Whaddon Road there was just a glimpse of a feeling that a corner might be turned. But it wasn’t that much of a glimpse to allow Barry Hayles to squander quite as many opportunities as he seemed to be doing. It was as if he was already retired and was showing a few lads what he was once capable of doing. A few flicks and tricks just so you got an idea of how good he had been. A stone lighter and five years younger and he would have had a couple of goals.

Not to worry young Thornhill made amends. He got hold of a ball which had been crying to be put away and the game was safe….. but only for certain at 94 minutes. The old pro’s had by then been replaced by the Hammond and Richardson who kept the Morcambe defense busy and maybe a bit confused. Were they a serious threat? Better not over commit going forward then.Too late, game over.

Not a vintage performance. There are still problems and gaps. No reason to relax or hit the town for a celebration unless you are Julian Alsop and he should show a bit of restraint for the sake of his family and neighbours.

Cheltenham Town: S Brown; D Bird, M Townsend, A Eastham, L Ridley; J Low, A Gallinagh, M Pook, M Thornhill (D Hutton 87); B Hayles (J Richards 81), J Alsop (E Hammond 85). Subs not used: M Watkins, W Puddy, T Lewis, D Andrew.

Morecambe: B Roche; A Parrish, W Haining, D Artell, D Adams; G Hunter, S Drummond, C Stanley (M Duffy 61), L Wilson (E Panther 81); P Mullin (W Curtis 78), P Jevons. Subs not used: D Moss, J Bentley, M Twiss, S Davies.

Referee: A Bates.
Attendance: 2,806 (120 from Morecambe).