Improved Robins push Stoke all the way

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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This is Gloucestershire

CHELTENHAM TOWN produced a much improved performance to push

Premier League Stoke City all the way in the Carling Cup second

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.

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18 Comments

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    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.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    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.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    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.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    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.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    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.”

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