After the morning fog, the afternoon turned sunny and warm producing perfect weather for football on a bowling green of a pitch. The Rovers made just one change from last week's line-up against Oldham Athletic, Bruce Dyer replacing Paul Heffernan, who injured his shoulder in training earlier in the week. Various other players have suffered from a variety of knocks during the week but have recovered. Cheltenham had a good win at Yeovil last week but still made three changes, with Shane Duff, captain John Finnigan and Grant McCann coming in after injury. Cheltenham are three points and four places better off than the Rovers, who badly need the three points from today's game to ease away from the bottom places. The Rovers turned out in their all blue strip against the red and white vertical stripes of the home team. The Rovers defended the end where their supporters were situated.
The Rovers started well, with Guy taking a through ball from Roberts to get in a left foot shot from the edge of the area on the right that went past the far post. Continuing to press in the early minutes, Forte also had a try at goal but it was with his right foot and had no power behind it and went wide anyway. Whilst the home team were getting into the Rovers half they were well contained outside the penalty area. On 12 minutes, a good run down the Rovers left by McDaid, a low pass inside to Forte and a cracking goalbound effort was deflected for a corner. Five minutes later, a quick raid by the Robins into the Rovers half ended with Wilson, on the left, shooting from 30 yards past the far post. Then Stock sent a free kick from the right into the home penalty area, with Wilson's defensive header skimming his own bar for a corner to the Rovers. On 24 minutes, former Rovers player, Melligan, put over a brilliant cross from the right that Filan could only punch away, with three Cheltenham players in attendance. The home team were now having more of the play, with Guinan getting in a shot from 15 yards that was high and not very handsome. Past the half hour mark and a quick break out of defence by the Rovers enabled them to force a corner on the right and once again to take command of the game. With ten minutes to the interval, Dyer had a fierce drive from 20 yards tipped away by Brown in the Cheltenham goal for a corner, which Lee headed wide. Then, a free kick from the left by Stock was punched out by Brown as he charged out through a crowd of players. Another corner followed causing mayhem in the home penalty area before Stock sent a shot wide. The pressure exerted by Rovers again caused panic in the home defence five minutes later, with the defenders unable to clear but the Rovers forwards also failing to get a clean shot in. The ball was eventually cleared, however. A minute into added-on time, McDaid got down the Rovers left before crossing from the byline into the middle for GUY to steam in and guide the ball into the net for the opening goal, a goal that they deserved on the play so far.
The Rovers made a substitution at the start of the second half, with Theo Streete taking over from Steve Roberts. The home team started the better of the two teams causing Filan to make an easy save. After five minutes play, a cross from Armstrong, on the home left, fell to Odejayi on the penalty spot. It seemed to take an age before the ball would come down giving McDaid time to come in and clear. Then Odejayi hit a 20 yarder straight at Filan for an easy save. The play switched to the other end where Dyer had a left foot shot saved by a diving Brown. On 57 minutes, Cheltenham went down the right, the cross came over to the far post for Wilson to head back into the middle where a melee ensued before the Rovers cleared their lines. Four minutes later, Guy, on the Rovers left, hit a low ball into the middle for Forte to knock in from close range but a defender got a foot in sending the ball over the bar for a corner. The home team began to have more of the play at this stage causing the Rovers to defend desperately at times but apart from a couple of corners they didn't get anything from their pressure. After 81 minutes, Brown nearly gave a goal away when he didn't quite realise that Forte was around but seconds later back came the Rovers with a high ball to the edge of the home penalty area. Duff and Townsend left it to one another, the keeper dithered so FORTE nipped between them and slotted nicely past the keeper for a second goal to the Rovers. Three minutes from normal time a cross from Wilson on the home right was headed down by Caines from 6 yards and bounced high over the bar. The Robins piled on the pressure as they tried to rescue something from the game, with Bird firing well over the bar and Caines following suit. The Rovers saw out the five extra minutes to take the three points they needed. An excellent performance from the team and a great win.
Teams - Cheltenham Town - Scott Brown; Jerry Gill, Shane Duff, Gavin Caines,Craig Armstrong; JJ Melligan, Grant McCann, John Finnigan, Brian Wilson; Steve Guinan, Kayode Odejayi.
Subs used - David Bird for Finnigan 65 mins; Michael Townsend for Guinan 65 mins; Mickey Bell for Gill 80 mins;
Subs not used - Sosthene Yao, Will Puddy gk
Cautions - Duff,
ROVERS - John Filan; James O'Connor, Steve Roberts, Adam Lockwood, Graeme Lee; Jonathan Forte, Paul Green, Brian Stock, Sean McDaid; Lewis Guy, Bruce Dyer.
Subs used - Theo Streete for Roberts 46 mins; Jason Price for Dyer 79 mins; Sean Thornton for Guy 89 mins.
Subs not used - Mark McCammon, Paul Heffernan,
