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Search forCheltenham owe it to new boys
Monday, August 18, 2008, 08:00
After a frustrating summer of knock-backs and disappointments in the transfer market, Keith Downing struck gold with Barry Hayles and Jennison Myrie-Williams, and they played a huge part in Cheltenham Town's win.
Hayles set up the first goal for Ben Gill and helped create the space for Myrie-Williams to head the second as Cheltenham shrugged off Gill's red card to grab the points.
Paul Connor and Andy Lindegaard, both nursing slight knocks from Tuesday's Carling Cup win at Southend, were the men to make way.
Hayles was the spearhead of Downing's 4-5-1 system and his physical presence made a difference.
But Swindon shaded the first half, with Cheltenham goalkeeper Shane Higgs having to make two fine saves, and then they were quick out of the blocks again after the break.
In left-winger Anthony McNamee, they had the game's most potent attacking weapon, but his incisive crosses and umpteen corners went unrewarded – thanks to some determined defending and wastefulness from Swindon's forwards.
In the eighth minute, McNamee crossed from the right and Sean Morrison's header was tipped acrobatically wide by Higgs.
Then McNamee's free-kick brushed Wright's head and Higgs scrambled across his goal to push it round.
Cheltenham didn't always help themselves, Michael Townsend and Shane Duff giving away several free-kicks in dangerous areas, but Swindon were having a set-piece off-day.
Townsend was penalised for a foul on Billy Paynter 30 yards out, in the centre of goal, and Hasney Aljofree took a long run-up and hammered it over the bar.
Then when the centre-back was guilty of a foul on Simon Cox, Michael Timlin's free-kick was easy pickings for Higgs.
But Hayles and Myrie-Williams were gradually getting into the game and started to link up well as the half wore on.
After 26 minutes, Hayles played a reverse pass to Myrie-Williams, who burst into the box and was challenged by Paynter.
Six minutes later, Myrie-Williams sent over a corner and presented Hayles with his clearest sight of goal, but his header glanced wide.
Swindon then lost Paynter to injury, and David Bird followed him with an ankle problem. Ben Gill, the midweek hero of the win at Southend, replaced him.
The half ended with Timlin forcing Higgs into a fine save with a powerful drive, and Alan Wright denying substitute Lee Peacock an almost-certain goal at the far post.
Swindon kept up the momentum in the second half and Cheltenham's defending had to be resolute as they weathered the storm.
A mistake by Ben Gill saw McNamee get away and cross, with Shane Duff heading clear for a corner, and Cheltenham had their biggest let-off of all when Craig Armstrong, in no danger, slipped.
John-Paul McGovern, who backed up McNamee well on the opposite flank, had a chance to cross. Cox, eight yards out, slid in, but put it over.
Ben Gill headed over a Peacock header and, after Duff played Wright into trouble, he lost out to McGovern, whose cross was cleared by Armstrong.
It was all hands to the pump and Cheltenham were hanging on grimly.
Downing decided enough was enough, and elected to make a change.
On 58 minutes, Connor replaced Vincent and joined Hayles up front in a 4-4-2 system – and within four minutes it paid dividends.
A left-wing cross was won in the box by Connor and fell to Hayles with his back to goal.
The veteran held off the challenge from Aljofree and spotted Ben Gill to his left and the midfielder drove home his second in two games.
His celebrations took him into the crowd in the C&G Stand and earned him a yellow card. Then when he got a second seven minutes later for a trip on Casal, Cheltenham were up against it again.
The ever-willing Connor dropped back to leave Hayles on his own again, but Cheltenham kept their shape and adopted a 'they-shall- not-pass' mentality.
With Swindon forced to chase the game, sacrificing Timlin for winger Michael Marshall, Cheltenham struck again.
The referee overruled his assistant to give Cheltenham a free-kick which was cleared back to Russell.
He crossed, and with Hayles' intelligent decoy run occupying the defence, Myrie-Williams had the space to power his header home.
DRIVING FORCE: Cheltenham Town new boy Barry Hayles powers his way forward
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