SUN: Full-time report, reaction & debate - Cheltenham Town 4 Colchester United 3
Boss Martin Allen’s side played some attractive and penetrating football going forward, but were less impressive at the back and therefore had to battle back from behind just as they had at Brighton a week earlier.
Colchester, relegated from the Championship last season, led 3-1 after 51 minutes, but goals from Lloyd Owusu and Stuart Fleetwood in the next five minutes levelled the scores.
Despite an open and frenetic final 34 minutes, rather surprisingly, there were no further goals until the fifth minute of stoppage time, when substitute Barry Hayles headed in a dramatic winner to give Allen his second win as manager.
There was no return to Cheltenham for Robins old boy Steven Gillespie, who missed out due to a hamstring strain picked up in training.
But Colchester’s attacking players were able to profit from some unconvincing defending from the Robins during a shaky first half.
Goalkeeper Scott Brown was kept busy from the first whistle, saving Mark Yeates’ looping cross/shot in the opening minute.
Dean Hammond’s long range effort was then held by Brown, who has performed well since taking over from the injured Shane Higgs between the posts.
Cheltenham’s first chance came in the fourth minute when Alex Russell’s free-kick was glanced wide by Lloyd Owusu and another free-kick from Russell was taken early, but flashed wide.
Ashley Vincent, preferred to teenager Josh Payne, cut inside from the right and saw a 30-yard drive held by Dean Gerken as Cheltenham looked effective going forward, but were disorganised and hesitant at the back.
Yeates ran at Darren Kenton and beat the full-back before forcing Brown into a save with his feet at the near post.
Vincent failed to reach a tempting cross from Stuart Fleetwood in the 16th minute after James Wesolowski had initiated a counter attack.
The dangerous Yeates teed up Johnnie Jackson, whose shot went wide, but Colchester took the lead in the 20th minute.
John White’s cross was mis-kicked horribly by Michael Townsend, forcing Brown into a fine reaction save, but Anthony Wordsworth was on hand to smash home the loose ball from close range to register the first goal of his career.
Robins boss Martin Allen switched from 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 formation with Vincent pushed up front and Cheltenham levelled in the 36th minute.
Kenton, who was having a torrid half defensively, met Russell’s right wing cross with a perfectly placed head that looped over Gerken and nestled in the top left corner of the net.
Almost immediately, Vincent tore down the right and delivered a ball across the face of goal and Scott Murray arrived at the far post to force Gerken into evasive action.
But another defensive calamity presented the U’s with their second goal two minutes before the break as Townsend attacked a ball near the halfway line, but failed to make any contact, leaving a huge gap behind him.
Clive Platt intelligently exploited the space and dissected two defenders to feed Yeates, who crossed into the danger area and Wordsworth tapped in ahead of the despairing Kenton on the line.
Vincent put in a fine cross four minutes after the break, but Kenton could not direct it into the net at the far post. The end to end action continued as Yeates forced Brown into a full stretch save to his right.
The resulting corner was not dealt with by Cheltenham and Jackson was given acres of space on the left and he threaded a low shot into the net through a sea of legs in the 51st minute.
Cheltenham responded quickly, hitting back within two minutes when Owusu turned in from a yard out after Gerken failed to gather a high ball in the box following Vincent’s cross from the right.
Cheltenham were level two minutes later as the non-stop action continued.
Vincent’s shot was fumbled by Gerken, Kenton’s follow-up was handled by Matt Heath and a penalty was awarded.
Fleetwood stepped up to score his second goal for the Robins, sending Gerken the wrong way in the 56th minute.
Yeates curled a free-kick over the bar before Allen sent on right-back Andy Gallinagh in place of Townsend, moving Kenton to centre-back for the final 20 minutes.
Gerken made an excellent stop to deny Murray after a good tackle from Gallinagh allowed Kenton to set Hayles free on the right.
A terrific exchange of passes between Fleetwood and Hayles, who had replaced the injured Vincent, almost released the former, but Gerken was off his line quickly to smother the ball.
Both sides looked like they'd have to settle for a share of the spoils, but Wright's free-kick was headed on by Owusu and Hayles nodded in with the aid of a deflection to lift the roof off Whaddon Road.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: S Brown; D Kenton, D Diallo, M Townsend (A Gallinagh 71), A Wright; A Vincent (B Hayles 60), A Russell, J Wesolowski, S Murray; L Owusu, S Fleetwood. Subs not used: P Connor, L Ridley, J Perry.
COLCHESTER UNITED: D Gerken; G Borrowdale, P Reid, M Heath, J White; A Wordsworth, D Perkins, J Jackson, D Hammond, M Yeates; C Platt. Subs not used: K Izzet, P Baldwin, S Akani-Wasui, M Cousins, S Vernon.
Referee: A M Penn (West Midlands).
Attendance: 3, 580 (266 from Colchester).
Star Man: Barry Hayles.
Click here to hear Martin Allen's post match thoughts
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