By Peegs
October 6 2002

Cheltenham slipped to their 3rd successive defeat in a week with a 3-1 defeat to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road despite having new loan signing Grant McCann in the starting eleven. This is his 2nd loan spell at the club. As is expected after a 7-0 defeat changes were made to the Cheltenham team. Steve Jones, John Brough, Grant McCann and Damian Spencer inplace of Griffin, Milton, and the injured McAuley and Alsop.

Both sides had early chances in a game the Robins really needed something from. Murphy headed over the bar from a Jazczun cross and at the opposite end Naylor had a shot well saved by Barnes in the Blackpool goal.

Ex Newcastle forward Paul Daglish - son of Kenny- warmed the hands of Steve Book with a powerful drive and the dangerous looking Murphy headed wide after a left wing cross by John Hills.

On 27 minutes Spencer should have done better with a header from 8 yards. Naylor sent the ball to Finnigan down the right channel, he crossed for Spencer who sent his header wide.

3 minutes later however and Spencer did find the net and what a goal it was! Book smashed a high ball forward, Victory headed inside to Spencer who in one motion controlled the ball turned and sashed the ball past Barnes on the volly from 25 yards. Already an early candidate for Cheltenham's goal of the season.

4 minutes before half-time Spencer scored again!, however it was at the wrong end!doh! With no Julian Alsop in the team it was his duty to track back for corners. Wellens delivered an inswinging corner and Spencer stretching to head only succeded in looping the ball over Book. It was another moment of mis-fortune and to survive in the 2nd division we need luck on are side not against us.

More bad luck struck just before the interval when Steve Jones making his 1st start in 16 months suffered a suspected broken leg. He was replaced by Williams.

H/T 1-1

Spencer had the 1st chance of the second half when he smashed a left footed shot that skimmed the top of Blackpool's bar.

If Graham Allner is reading this! (I know he wont!) then the lads may want to practice headers back to the goalie in training. Againsy Notts County last week we gave a goal away from an intercepted back pass and nearly suffered the same fate here. Victory was the culprit as he tried to head the ball to Book only for Murphy to intercept, a combination of Book and Brough stopped him from scoring.

Cheltenham fell behind after 64 minutes, and i'm not being biased but once again it was a huge piece of mis-fortune that lead to the goal. Williams made a tackle on Taylor and the ball ran free to the edge of the box, Richie Wellens was waiting and smashed the ball goalwards, it hit the on rushing Duff and looped over the helpless Book.

So we are trailing 2-1 and both goals were lucky, an own goal and a deflected goal. Thats life in Division 2!

Graham Allner made 2 changes to the team as Town searched for the goal that would earn them a useful point, Brayson and Devaney went on inplace of Spencer and the tiring Naylor. But it was a Blackpool substitute who scored and sealed the win for the 'Pool. Richard Walker (the Blackpool one) had only been on 2 minutes when he scored. He went up for a challenge with Duff from a high ball, the ball ran free and with Duff motionless claiming a foul - replays are inconclusive- strode forward and easily finished pat Book. 3-1 and game over.

So we lost 3-1. I'll analyse the 3 goals we let in. Number 1 and own goal, on another day Spencers header would not have flown in his own net. Number 2 a deflected goal, on another day that deflection would have sent the ball over the bar and Goal 3 other referess may have given a foul.

We must keep trying and with the addition of Grant McCann on the left we now have to sides to attack from instead of just relying on the right side.

F/T 1-3

BLACKPOOL: Barnes, Grayson, Hughes, Clarke, Jazczun, Dalglish, Southern, Wellens, Hills, Murphy, Taylor (Walker 81)

CHELTENHAM TOWN: Book, Jones (Williams 45), Brough, Duff, Walker, Victory, Finnigan, Yates, McCann, Naylor (Brayson 73), Spencer (Devaney 80)

Attendance 6649