By Peegs
November 18 2002

Cheltenham progressed through to the 2nd round after a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Non League giants Yeovil Town at Huish Park. A goal in each half by Alsop and Devaney respectively sent Town into the next round to play either Oldham or Burton away from home. With Grant McCann not allowed to play Hugh Mcauley took his position on left midfield, Jamie Victory came back in at left back, Richard Forsyth lined up alongside John Finnigan in midfield and Julian Alsop started alongside Brayson upfront.

The Robins took the lead with their 1st serious attack. McAuley had a cross blocked, the ball fell to the impressive Richard "Brucie" Forsyth who played a ball to Howarth down the inside right channel, he ran forward and smashed the ball across the area for Alsop to tap in from a yard out. It was the perfect start to undoubtedly the trickiest tie in the 1st Round.

The Robins took confidence from the early goal, Brayson - who worked hard all afternoon - fired an angled shot wide of the post from 20 yards. The Yeovil fans claiming that they were the biggest team playing. Lets look at the facts, were Division 2 your conference, nuff said I think!!!

It took until 30 minutes for Yeovil to carve open their first serious opening. Yeovil's best player on the day, McIndoe, charged forward as Cheltenham players found themselves up field, unforunately for a Glovers point of view he delayed his pass too long and his fellow attackers were caught off side. The difference between Div 2 and the Conference is probably the amount of time you can have on the ball.

Yeovil's best chance of the first half arrived 5 minutes later. A long ball found the Cheltenham defence sleeping, Hoaward Forinton gathered the ball and ran into the area - right infront of where I was standing - for some reason he delayed his shot and Jamie Victory slid in with a last ditch challenge. Probably his best bit of play of the season. If they had scored then it could have been a completly different game, probably with the Robins losing the game and going out.

Another scare for the Robins happened moments before the break, Yeovil's top scorer Nick Crittenden struck a shot from 20 yards that went narrowly wide of Steve Book'd right hand post, it was very close to going in!

Half the job was done as Cheltenham went in at half time 1-0 up. We needed to carry on are good work into the second half.

H/T 1-0

Howard Forinton - who was once brought for £250,000 by Peterborough - had a clear cut chance n the second half infront of the home terrace. Crittenden crossed from the right and Forinton found himself free in the area but directed his header weakly at Book. Alot of Yeovils breaks were coming down the right, the absence of McCann possibly causing this.

A further set back for Yeovil occured 10 minutes after half time, Colin Pluck rose at a corner, he was challenged by Alsop but he seemed to fall awkwardly and remained on the ground for some time after. He was eventually stretchered off with applause rippling from all 4 sides of the ground.

Martin Devaney - who again had another impressive game at right wing - had a chance after 62 minutes, he ran onto a Victory cross but wildy hit his shot into the Robins fans. However 2 minutes after that wild shot Devaney put Cheltenham 2 up and sent them into the hat for the 2nd Round.

A cross field ball by Hugh McAuley - who had a quiet game but ended up being involved in both goals! - was well controlled by Devaney, he used his pace to get away from Roy O'Brien and ran into the area, from a tightish angle he shot at goal, unfortunatly for Yeovil 'keeper Chris Weale the ball looped in off his leg. It was such a crucial time to get a 2 goal cushion as at 1-0 anything could have happened.

15 minutes from the end substitute Carl Alford wasted a chance to get the Glovers back in the game. A deep cross arrived to him at the back post, for some reason he chose to head the ball back across the area when he could have headed at goal, again the decison making and composure difference between a Division 2 and Conference team was noticeable on Saturday.

2 of Yeovil's foreign players nearly got goals for them in the closing stages of the match. Firstly Brazilian substitute Abdoulai Demba fired a shot wide from the edge of the area after a weak headed clearnce by Victory. He should have made it 2-1 and set up a grandstand finish but he didn't.

Secondly Morrocan Abdelhalim Elkholti pummled a shot from 20 yards that made Book fly to his left to palm the ball against the post and away from the net.

That was the last chance of the match and Cheltenham had succesfully jumped over a tricky looking hurdle. For winning that game we bagged £20,000 which is greatly appreciated after signing are fisrt player for cash since the summer before we entered the Football league. That being £15k for Richard Forsyth.

And it his Forsyth and Finnigan who get my praise for this victory, they worked away tirelessly in the midfield for the enitre 90 minutes, they both sprayed a number of good passes and controlled the cnetre of the pitch. John Finnigan probably edges it for me as MOM but no player had a bad game.

F/T 2-0

YEOVIL TOWN: Weale, Sciverton, Pluck (Grant 57), O'Brien, Lindegaard (Demba 83), Way, Crittenden, McIndoe, Elkholti, Giles.

CHELTENHAM TOWN: Book, Howarth, Duff, Brough, Victory, McAuley, Finnigan, Forsyth, Devaney, Brayson (Yates 85), Alsop.

Attendance 6,455