Robins see of Silkmen in tense finish

By Peegs
December 26 2003

Bob Taylor scored his 200th career league goal as Cheltenham saw off Macclesfield 3-2 in an exciting match at a rain drenched Whaddon Road.

Exactly a year on from the 4-0 humiliation at home to Crewe John Ward made one change to the team who lost 3-1 to Doncaster a fortnight ago, Richard Forsyth returning from injury to replace Mark Yates in central midfield, John Finnigan was elected as captain.

The rain started falling as the players entered the pitch, this and a combination of the wind blowing towards the C and G End would make for an interesting first half.

This wetness contributed to an early chance to Cheltenham when Wilson in the Macclesfield goal mis hit a back pass straight to Damian Spencer, he gave the ball to Devaney but the right winger could not get a shot in at goal.

Bob Taylor in search of his 200th league goal came close to acheiving this and putting the Robisn 1-0 up, however his angled drive from 20 yards struck the outside of the post. The conditions would make it hard for either team to defend set pieces and Cheltenham earnt themselves a number of flag kicks in the first half of the match. One such set piece saw Grant McCann take a short corner to Devaney who ran into the box and shot, however his effort was blocked by a 'Silkmen' body.

With half an hour on the clock the Robins took a deserved lead and it was Damian Spencer who continued his good spell. Stoke loanee Brian Wilson - who had another good game as an attacking right back - played the ball forward to the feet of Bob Taylor, the ex Baggies front man played in Spencer who ran into the box, he powered a low shot at goal with his left foot that beat Wilson and put the Robins into the driving seat.

The Robisn with the advantage of the strong wind continued to press forward and had a half decent shout for a penalty when Karl Munroe appeard to handle when clearing a cross, shortly after Grant McCann rifled a shot over the bar from 20 yards.

H/T 1-0

With John Ward absent from the game with illness Bob Bloomer would have taken the half time team talk. The ex Cheltenham midfield man made no half time substitutions but would have warned his team that the elements would have been in Macclesfield's favour this half.

However the Robins continued to play soem nice football and extended their lead in the 59th minute with a landmark goal. A cross from the right by Devaney was laid back by Damian Spencer to the on rushing Bob Taylor who stroked the ball past Wilson from 18 yards to claim his 200th career league goal. The whole ground rose to slaute this acheivement and songs of 'Super Bob' echoed round Whaddon Road.

Taylor nearly got his 201st goal moments later when hesitancy in the Macclesfield defence let in Spencer, he unselfishly passed to Taylor, he shot at goal but unluckily for him Wilson foiled him with a smart parry.

You wouldn't have thought Cheltenham were playing against the wind and the rain in the 2nd half as Macclesfield failed to create anything of note. On 72 minutes the Robins extended their lead to 3 goals. Spencer won the ball in the midfield and powered towards the penalty are with a number of choices to who he could pass to he chose Devaney who was free in the box to his right, he picked him out perfectly and Devaney was left with the easy task of side stepping Wilson and planting the ball into the back of the net - his 5th goal of the season.

Cue the substitutions, Forsyth, Taylor and Spencer went off to be replaced by Yates, Brayson and Odejayi respectively. During his short time on the pitch Brayson could have scored 4 times, he screwed a shot wide from 8 yards with his first touch, had a shot saved by the 'keeper from 10 yards when he should have done better, hit the cross bar and dragged a couple of shots wide.

A combination of the wind and possibly the disorganistion of the 3 substitutions nearly saw Cheltenham chuck away the points in the last 10 minutes.

With 83 minutes on the clock a cross into the box caused panic in the Cheltenham area, youngster brian Wilson weakly headed clear staright to Silkmen substitute Steve Brackenbridge who fired home from inside the box.

2 minutes later another goal was pulled back. A corner from the right by Whitaker was flicked on by another substitute Martin Carruthers, Matt Haddrell was on hand to convert the ball over the line from close range. The 4000 Cheltenham fans present in the ground were now biting their nails in the closing stages.

Further chances were to come for Macclesfield and Haddrell nearly equalised when a speculative lob shot from outside the box struck the top of the cross bar. Into injury time and the Robins were lucky not to concede a penalty when a moment of madness sawe Jamie Victory jump and palm the ball away with his hand, luckily for him and the Robins the referee didn't see the incident and waved play on to the disgust of all associated with Macclesfield. In fairness it was a penalty and Cheltenham can find themselves lucky to have clung on to the 3-2 win that arrived shortly after with the blowing of the final whistle.

All in all a good day for the Robins, 3 valuable points however results didn't exactly go for us with Kidderminster, Southend, Northampton and Carlise all notching up 3 points. Richard Forsyth got through 75 minutes of the match unscaved and the crowd was 237 above the break even figure. Just a pity the weather wasn't to nice!

F/T 3-2

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CHELTENHAM TOWN : Higgs, Wilson, Brough, M.Duff, Victory, Devaney, Forsyth (Yates 74), Finnigan, McCann, Taylor (Odejayi 80), Spencer (Brayson 80)

MACCLESFIELD TOWN: Wilson, Carragher, Welch, Munroe, Adams, Whitaker, Widdrington (Haddrell 79), Priest, Little (Brackenbridge 58), Tipton, Miles (Carruthers 58)

Attendance 4,237