Gower at the double as Town crumble in heat

By Peegs
August 10 2003

Cheltenham's season got off to a bad start in the heat as they lost 2-0 to Southend and had 2 players stretchered off at Roots Hall.

The only summer signing to start the game was Kayode Odejayi who partnered Paul Brayson upfront. The opening day line up at Roots Hall was as follows: Steve Book in goal, the back four reads as follows, Jamie Victory, the 2 Duff brothers and Antony Griffin, the midfield had a familiar look in Devaney, Yates, Finnigan and McCann with Odejayi and Brayson upfront.

In temperatures close to 35 degrees Bobby Gould had youngster Luke Corbett lining up water bottles along the touchline ready for a number of drinks breaks called sensibly by the referee.

The odds were stacked against Cheltenham from the off having not one an opening day fixture since the 2-0 win at Sittingbourne in August of 1996, and things weren't about to change as a double from Mark Gower would send the Robins home from the sea side with nothing apart from a nice tan.

The game - not played at 100mph mainly due to the heat - saw its first chance on the 10 minute mark when Brown shot just wide of Steve Books goal.

Kayode Odejayi - who was the Robins best player on the day - set Grant McCann up for a shot on 17 minutes which the young Northern Ireland player hit just wide of Carl Emberson's post, sadly for the Robins this was one of their best chances on a disappointing afternoon for the 400 or so travelling fans from Cheltenhamshire.

Odejayi showed the Robins faithful what he could do with his head after 21 minutes with a soft header straight at Emberson and moments later the young Nigerian born forward from Forest Green latched on to a long ball from Devaney and forced his way into the area, however just as he was about to pull the trigger Leon Court - brother of Newcastle forward Carl - intercepted with a last minute block tackle. Certainly gathering experience during the season Kayode could become quite a player at Whaddon Road.

With half an hour on the clock and the sun sweltering in the summer sky the referee called a 2 minute drinks break which was to the delight of manager Bobby Gould who applauded the man in charge, Gould also took this opportunity to pass on instructions to his team who at this point were starting to give Southend more time on the ball.

Sarfend must have been drinking Lucozade and not water as just a few minutes after the drinks break they took the lead with a good goal. Ex Aston Villa trainee Micheal Husbands and ex Gillingham and Blackburn player James Corbett exchanged passes down the right flank, Corbett then played the ball inside to the on running Mark Gower who struck his shot in off the left hand post to make the scoreline 1-0, in truth it was a goal that was coming.

The heat must have been getting to the Robins who were all over the place leading up to the half time break, lapse defending allowed Husbands to round Book, however the young player took the ball to wide and by the time he crossed it back in the centre Shane Duff was able to clear.

The Robins were handed a lifeline 3 minutes before the break when ex Kidderminster Harriers forward Drewe 'the donkey' Broughton headed the ball into the net from a free kick, however amid cheers and loud speaker announcements of the goal it was eventually ruled out for what looked like an offside against another interfering Southend player.

More drama followed as Southed continued to lay siege to the Robins goal, this time a corner was fumbled away unconvincingly by Book to Warren on the edge of the area who fired it back in, however the Robins shot stopper redeemed himself with a fine save to his left.

H/T 1-0

Bobby Gould made no half time subs but had a few options on the bench available to him, goalie Shane Higgs, defender/forward John Brough, midfielders Dave Bird and Ben Cleverly and Striker Damian Spencer.

Paul Brayson who showed plenty of promise in pre season had the first chance of note of the 2nd half with a long range effort that went just wide of the Southend goal. Cheltenham needed to up the tempo but this would prove to be difficult in the unbearable heat.

Leon Court headed wide from a corner in Southend first attack of note in the 2nd half and from Cheltenhams first corner on 54 minutes, Micheal Duff had a goalbound shot blocked by a Southend body from an inswinging Grant McCann corner.

One player who many Cheltenham fans wouldn't want to score was Drewe Broughton who was known to flail his elbows about in his days at Kidderminster and he so nearly scored on 63 minutes when sent clear on goal from a Corbett pass, however he shot tamely and Steve Book was able to make an easy save.

The combination of attacking players Broughton, Husbands and Corbett was working well for Southend and Husbands found himself an opening on 65 minutes, Shane Duff managed to get back and put off the striker who put his shot wide, however this was to be the last we saw of Duff jnr as he went off injured to be replaced by John Brough.

Cheltenham were failing to create any chances and this prompted Gould to make a double change with 15 minutes remaining on the clock, Spencer came on for Devaney and Ben Cleverly made his competitive debut inplace of the quiet Grant McCann.

Corbett who was probably the star performer along with Gower on the day had a number of chances in the final 10 minutes of the game. On 82 he had a shot sail just past the angle of post and bar and 5 minutes later he went even closer, this time a shot from inside the area cannoning off the inside of the post and out to safety.

On 88 minutes Drewe Broughton nearly sealed the points with a double effort that Steve Book somehow managed to save. However disaster would strike for the Robins entering injury time. John Finnigan went down injured and had to be stretchered off the pitch, by this time the Robins had used all their allotted changes and had to see the rest off the game out with 10 men however the more important issue being the possible serious injury to an influential player.

3 minutes into injury time Southend sealed the points with a Mark Gower penalty. Yates felled a Southend attacking player in the box and Gower stood up took 2 strides and sent Book the wrong way.

All in all not a successful afternoon by the sea side, Robins fans can take opening day defeats but it is harder to take to possible injury to 2 important players in the team, we await with great interest the news on their injuries which we pray are not serious. The final score Southend 2-0 Cheltenham.

F/T 2-0

SOUTHEND: Emberson, Jupp, Cort, Warren, McSweeney, Gower, Maher, Odunsi, Corbett, Broughton, Husbands (Bramble 85)

CHELTENHAM: Book, Griffin, M.Duff, S.Duff (Brough 68), Victory, Devaney (Cleverley 76), Yates, Finnigan, McCann (Spencer 76), Brayson, Odejayi

Attendance 4,403