Tranmere trounced by Town wonder strikes!

By Peegs
February 5 2003

Cheltenham claimed their first win since November with a fully deserved 3-1 win over Tranmere Rovers, It was a cracking game and the Robins scored 3 terrific goals.

There were a number of changes from the team that claimed a point at Wigan. Shane Duff started in place of the injured John Brough, Mark Yates took over from John Finnigan who dropped to the bench. Marvin Brown made his home debut and Tony Naylor returned to the starting line up after his long absence in place of Damian Spencer and Russell Milton.

Finally this season Cheltenham had some luck. A flick on from Haworth was met by a volley from Stuart Barlow, he smacked a volly that hit the post, Shane Nicholson followed up the rebound but put his shot wide. If that had gone in the whole night may have been a different story.

8 minutes into the game the Robins took the lead. Yates took a free kick, it was headed claer by the Tranmere defence, it arrived to Marvin Brown who cut inside and fired a shot from fully 30 yards that flew into the top corner, what a start to his home debut.

The Robins playing with confidence for once this season continued to attack and extend their lead. Alsop had a shot blocked by Tranmere 'keeper Jon Achterberg and shortyl afterwards a move involving Brown and Naylor resulted in Devaney receiving the ball 6 yards out, unfortunatly for the pacey right winger he sliced his shot wide of the target.

After 30 minutes yet another Cheltenham defender suffered injury, this time Shane Duff who received a gashed head after a accidental challenge with Brother Micheal. On went on Greg Strong on-loan from Hull City a day after signing for a month.

The Cheltenham defence of Victory, Strong, Mike Duff and Griffin were coping well with what Tranmere had to throw at them and limited Tranmere to a couple of Stuart Barlow shots wide.

The last action of the first half saw Grant McCann fire one of his trade mark free kicks just wide of the target. It was half time and Cheltenham were well worth their 1 goal lead.

H/T 1-0

It was no surprise to any Cheltenham fans when the Robins came out unchanged for the 2nd half, the team were playing well so there was no need to change anything, how many times have we been able to say that this season?

Unforunatly for Town the 2nd half couldn't have got of to a worse start. The Robins thought they had a goal kick instead the ref changed his mind and gave a corner. This corner was floated in and cleared to Barlow who smashed in a shot that Book somehow tipped over the bar. The next corner was swung in from the right, Book punched the ball and the ball rebounded in off a player, the goal has been credited to Ian Sharps.

John "The Actor" Achterberg then hurt his leg whilst clearing the ball out, in the end he was clearly injured and had to be subbed but the fuss he and the Tranmere physio made as unbeleivable! This insesnsed the supporters in the C and G but unfortunatly some channeled there anger by throwing coins onto the pitch. Hopefully we will not see this again.

The passion in the crowd now had risen after the Achterberg incident and the ground erupted 8 minutes later when the Robins re claimed a deserved lead. Devaney who sprinted clear of Roberts and Sharps and measured a perfect cross for Naylor who had the simple task of heading in from 3 yards out. Under Graham Allner we may have folded after Tranmere equalised but under Gould we seem to have a resilience proved by last night and the draw versus Wigan.

With 72 minutes on the clock Cheltenham extended their lead with a goal that had "class" written all over it. Devaney did some trickery on the right, exchanged a one two with Naylor who's return pass was perfectly weighted for Devaney to run on to and plant a low shot low to the right of sub 'keeper Russell Howarth.

Tranmere threatend a couple of times in the closing stages to get a consolation goal, young midfielder Iain Hume (a name to look out for in the future) grazing the cross bar with a shot and Barlow steering a Simon Haworth cross just wide of Book's left hand post.

That was all the action in one of the best games at Whaddon Road this season, but we mustn't dwell to much on this performance, we must now focus on Stockport on Saturday. There is no point beating Tranmere if we go on and lose against Stockport.

Can we claim back to back wins for only the 2nd time this season? (the other time being the wins over Swindon and Mansfield) Lets hope so! Keep the faith.

F/T 3-1

CHELTENHAM TOWN: Book, Griffin, S.Duff (Strong 31), M.Duff, Victory, McCann, Yates, Brown, Naylor, Alsop, Devaney.

TRANMERE ROVERS: Achterberg (Howarth 56), Hinds (Allen 36), Sharps, Connelly, Roberts, Hume, Mellon, Jones, Nicholson (Taylor 77), Haworth, Barlow.

Attendance 3,936