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Search forImproved Robins push Stoke all the way
Tuesday, August 26, 2008, 21:34
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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