Improved Robins push Stoke all the way
CHELTENHAM TOWN produced a much improved performance to push
Premier League Stoke City all the way in the Carling Cup second
-

Ashley Vincent battles Stoke City's Ryan Shawcross
round last night.
After a tight first half, Glenn Whelan and Richard Cresswell
put Stoke on course with two goals in three minutes shortly
after half-time.
Ashley Vincent quickly restored hope for the Robins
with his first goal of the season, but Jon Parkin’s made it
3-1.
Alex Russell's strike at the death gave the scoreline a more
respectable look, but there was barely time for Stoke to
kick-off before the final whistle blew.
The main consolation for Cheltenham was that they produced
an altogether more acceptable display than they had in
their 4-0 league drubbing at Oldham Athletic on Saturday.
Keith Downing made four changes and switched to a 4-4-2
formation, with Ben Gill, Craig Armstrong, Andy Lindegaard and
Paul Connor replacing Andy Gallinagh, injured pair Dean
Sinclair and Jennison Myrie-Williams, and the ineligible Barry
Hayles.
Stoke’s line-up contained only one player who started their
first ever Premier League victory against Aston Villa at the
weekend in left-back Carl Dickinson.
The Potters have a reputation for their strength and direct
style, but what was effectively their reserve team passed the
ball well on the pristine Whaddon Road surface.
Giant striker Parkin was a handful alongside the equally
imposing Vincent Pericard, but the Robins’ defensive stability
and organisation returned as they restricted Stoke to
predominantly speculative efforts early on.
Defender Ryan Shawcross fired their first opening straight
at Shane Higgs in the eighth minute.
Pericard had the ball in the net after 35 minutes, but his
effort was disallowed for offside and Cresswell shot wide three
minutes before half-time.
Cheltenham competed well without the ball, but never really
looked capable of hurting Stoke.
When goalkeeper Steve Simonsen flapped at Alan Wright’s
cross during first half stoppage time, Ben Gill almost stole in
at the far post, but Dickinson made an important
intervention.
Simonsen stretched to palm away Vincent’s cross-shot in the
first minute of the second period but Stoke took the lead in
the 51st minute.
Shane Duff fouled Pericard 20 yards out and Whelan curled
the resulting free-kick over the Robins’ defensive wall and
into the top right corner.
Stoke’s second looked like it had killed the game off three
minutes later. Simonsen’s long clearance was flicked on
by Pericard and fell to Cresswell, who beat Jerry Gill and
calmly slotted past Higgs immediately after Cheltenham had been
calling for a penalty at the other end.
The tie appeared to be settled, but Vincent restored hope
for Cheltenham in the 57th minute, capitalising on an error by
Lewis Buxton, racing through on goal and scoring via the foot
of the left post.
Any hopes of a cup upset were ended in the 78th minute when
Danny Pugh’s cross was dispatched clinically by Parkin, who had
lost his marker Wright in the penalty area.
There was a surprise return for Gavin Caines, who was pushed
up front after six months out with a knee injury.
Russell smashed home after Aaron Ledgister's pass deep into
stoppage time, but 1972 League Cup winners Stoke progressed
safely.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: S Higgs; J Gill, S Duff (A Gallinagh 61), M
Townsend, A Wright; B Gill (G Caines 78), C Armstrong, A
Russell, A Lindegaard; A Vincent (A Ledgister 88), P
Connor. Subs not used: S P A Brown, L Ridley, J
Emery, M Watkins.
STOKE CITY: S Simonsen; A Wilkinson, R Shawcross, L Buxton,
C Dickinson (D Phillips 79); A Wilkinson (R Shotton 90), G
Whelan, S Diao (D Matteo 75), D Pugh; J Parkin, V
Pericard. Subs not used: R De Laat, J Phillips, M
Wedderburn.
REFEREE: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).
ATTENDANCE: 3, 600 (562 from Stoke).
STAR MAN: Craig Armstrong.







18 Comments
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by Alan Johnson, cheltenham
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 10:54AM
“Quite right Tim Jackson Baker should get out .
A new dynamic chairman with investment to make and new ideas is the way forward.”
by northern robin, up north
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 10:39AM
“timmy - you are obviously as passionate a fan as me but you do need to wake up and smell the roses. Baker has lied to us now for two years (smaller and more experienced squad and we won't sell Gillespie until we have a replacement in the club) to quote two recent examples. You also say how he has written off the £300k debt..... seems to me that roughly equates to the money the club has gained and failed to reinvest from the sale of Gillespie. I leave you to draw your own conclusions but I think someone at the top is telling us a barrel load of porkie pies.”
by Timmy Jackson, Swindon Village
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 10:21AM
“It is not the Chairman's JOB - he is not employed by the club.. it is his CHOICE to invest his money.
Why he does it when all he gets is a slagging off from supporters god only knows.
If I were him I would say stuff it, start spending some of his money on his family and live a stress free life...
Then see how quickly we sink into the forgotten lands again.
The club is where it is today because (mainly) of two people.
I would welcome back Steve Cotterill as he is the best manager the club has ever had.
I want Paul Baker to stay as he is the best chairman the club has ever had.
I do not want my club to fall into the hands of an aforementioned fly-by-night who will try and make money out of it.... speak to Luton, Rotherham & Bournemouth fans about the chairman who promised them the earth and failed to deliver.”
by Derek, Gloucester
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 10:14AM
“Hi Roger K of Cheltenham. The block was not on a permanent move to us, I was informed it was all to do with a loan spell. I obviously cannot say where I got it from but was happy I was being told the truth.”
by northern robin, up north
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 10:10AM
“The fans are voting with their feet - take note Mr Downing and Mr Baker because the decisions you make and the players you bring in over the next five days could well shape the future of the club I have supported for over 35 years. You have got it badly wrong since the end of last season and the day of reckoning is nearly here. In summary, Downing is out of his depth and Baker is still counting the Gillespie money. just over 3,000 home fans for a premier league team (albeit Stoke) speaks volumes and I can see the Leicester fans outnumbering the home fans at Whaddon Road if something isn't done immediately. Mr keswick the time is now for you to take over, not just for your money but to have a chairman with some leadership skills and some carisma.”
by Sam Bates, Gloucester
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 10:10AM
“The harsh reality Mr Jackson is that 1 million pounds over 10 years is just not enough at this level.
Telling us where we were 10 years ago is not very enlightening......
We are where we are NOW and if we want to just tread water we need substantial investment....which is altimately down to the chairman...thats his job!!!!
Cheltenham Town is a business and like any business without proper levels of investment it will under perform and errode.
If someone can be found who has deeper pockets than PB they should be given the opportunity to advance the club still further.”
by Diane Love, cheltenham
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 9:58AM
“I wouldn't let Keith Downing push my bicycle!
What is worrying is he thought last nights game was so good that he was going to get a good nights sleep......
Did he watch the same game as me? If so must have been "rose tinted specs".
We may not be able to afford players who are good enough.....but we can afford a manager who is.....
Downing should be sacked......in a few weeks time he will run out of 'speeches' and 'excuses' and we will be back in the infamous "Bobby Gould" situation.....
Hes just not suitable for the challenges that confront Cheltenham Town Fc.”
by Pete, C&G
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 9:58AM
“Just what did you lot expect? We'd beat Stoke? They're in the PREMIERSHIP for a reason, they have strength in depth. The players they put out last night are fighting to be part of the Premiership, so they're going to be better than us in all departments. Even if PB did finally put his hand in his pocket, he'd never be able to buy the quality needed to compete with Stoke. We as fans have got to appreciate that all things considered, all we can ever be is a good, solid, established mid-table League 1 side. And as for those saying "Boo-hoo, I'm not turing up in case we get spanked", just don't bother turing up again. We're supporters through thick and thin and not just for the trips to Cardiff etc.”
by Timmy Jackson, Swindon Village
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 9:57AM
“In the name of sanity - lay off the chairman.....
Paul Baker - who has no obligation to spend his hard earned money on Cheltenham Town - has for many years funded the club.
The last set of accounts showed that in effect he had written off over £300,000 that was owed to him - and that was just in one year! -
He has pledged to invest another "six figure sum" this season just to keep the club on an even keel.....
I would say that as a conservative estimate that Baker has invested over a million into the club in the past 10 years - he will never want or get that money back....
And what thanks does he get for that - but ignorant idiots asking for him to leave, when he has helped guide us to a position in the pyramid that was but a pipe-dream when he took over...
The current culture of fly-by-night foreigners coming in to buy clubs and promise the earth has been to the detriment both of football and the sanity of people like Rodney Bennett....
Change is not always for the better.
Stick around Mr Baker - you are rightly appreciated by some Cheltenham supporters.”
by Rodney Bennett, Cheltenham
Wednesday, August 27 2008, 9:46AM
“Downing needs to go right now.
Baker must either put up substantial investment or advertise the post of chairman to someone who can.
The club needs Steve Cotterill back, a man who will take the club and the board by the scruff of the neck.
Downing is out of his depth...he needs to dictate to the board not the other way around.
Downings got no managerial mexperience at this level , no contacts in the game, no backing by the board and most importantly NO CLUE!”