Match Reaction: Cheltenham Town

Last updated : 13 March 2011 By The Stray Shots

Aldershot Town manager Dean Holdsworth spoke to BBC Radio Surrey following his sides 2-1 victory at Cheltenham Town - his first away win since taking charge and he said: "Absolutely marvellous. We've learnt together and we're growing as a group. The team spirit is spot on.

"We dug in at the end and Cheltenham pushed and pushed. It would have been terrible to come away with a draw after keeping them under wraps. I'm really pleased for the team and the travelling support.

"The belief is there, the ability is there and they're really enjoying it. They're learning. It was a great team performance."

Cheltenham Town boss Mark Yates had this to say:

"It was a nothing game, we had a little go in the last 10 minutes but that wasn't good enough, I apologise to everyone today.

"I'm sick of saying the same things about basics, desire, seeing danger and doing the right thing at the right times, we're not doing that as a group.

"We are lacking in experience. Perhaps we need to look at how we recruit players. The modern younger players have a lot to say for themselves and they think they know better."

To hear both managers comments in full, click here.

Meanwhile, Cheltenham supporters had this to say on their Robin’s Nest forum: 

“Without wanting to sound too downbeat....

”That was particularly embarrassing today, they aren't anything special but we made them look something.

”Why has that team gone from being able to hold its own comfortably in this league and against that team at the start of the season to getting spanked every week. Its getting demoralising now.

”Every team has off days but this is every single week and its clear something has happened behind the scenes because there is not even a slight glimpse of the same players at the start of the season.... Yates talks about confidence but that comes and goes - this has been a slump lasting a number of months which has got well out of hand now.

”Yates mentions the silence of the fans and the fact that you could hear a pin drop.... he even mentions the fans shouting the odd negative thing. What about the fact that the players don't get boo'd off by the whole ground after this shocking run of form and why not mention the fans that try to get behind the team no matter what (I'll use the Wymans and elements of the C and G as an example).

”What do you expect Mark? Try taking the last three months of performances to Elland Road or The New Den.... then you'll see how cruel football fans can be! Cheltenham fans are unbelievably fair in their criticism of the team and have stayed with them completely throughout this VERY lengthy sticky patch.

”But where does it end? Its not as if its a few games which of course we can tolerate as its a young team .... this is every week now and is it just me or is anyone else bored of it?

”You wonder why attendances are dropping Mr Baker.... you question whether the Gloucestershire public want a football league club but since we got promoted into league one years ago, we've spent season after season in the bottom half of the table (regardless of the league we're in). I took the small club excuse in league one but we should be perfectly capable of competing in league two, we did that up until about 3 months ago where everything fell to pieces.

”Why? The excuses are getting boring now - I just want too see my team competing in a league that they have already proven they are perfectly capable of competing in and not getting spanked every week for no real reason.

”SORT IT OUT! Cheltenham fans may be very respectful but surely they wont accept that for too much longer! A lot of respect to everyone that continues to get behind the team - I know boo'ing the team won't achieve much but the temptation must be growing....”FOD_wyman_2010

“That was probably my last game this season, hated being there, couldn't wait for the final whistle. A complete waste of twenty quid, disgusting food and very poor/expensive entertainment. I watch technically better park football played with more enthusiasm than that for free.....

”I don't have an answer but I do think the manager needs to demand more from the players, SC would have had that shower of s..... doing press ups in front of the departing crowd.”robinday

Shots supporters had this to say on Shots Talk

"Whilst not playing our best- I actually didnt think we were that bad today- I'd probably go as far as to say a good (away) performance. Maybe I'm easily pleased but just got back & read Rob's (excellent as ever!) match blog but my only comment is it makes us sound poorer than I think we were and that we had to work hard to repel Cheltenham.

"Cheltenham I thought were truly awful today and didnt have a shot on target all game (the goal was certainly a cross).

"Very friendly reception as ever in the clubhouse- Frisking for flares and the explanation 'well we're frisking you because you lot cause trouble wherever you go' was perhaps a tad unnecessary but otherwise good trip, 3 points”  - Malmsbury shot

"Thought we were in full control till they scored then we looked a bit shakey.

"Must have gifted their player 3 or 4 times before he put in that cross (shot my backside) that harshly looped in.

"Betting Jamie is going to be sore in the morning after cluttering in to the post. A few of us squirmed on impact.

"Overall good game. Thought Herd was back to his very high standards and Mekki looks very, very promising. Would like to see him have more confidence to take some shots but otherwise can't fault his performance - passionate, hard working and pretty good on the ball.”Whiskey Shot

"Just back, and I thoroughly enjoyed todays game. Having read through the blogs etc, can't really say we were hanging on at any stage, I thoght we were clearly the better side in the first half, and maybe could have been a couple up at half time. Second half started scrappily but as soon as we got the second we were in cruise control. Pook scored possibly the flukiest goal we will see this year, no blame can be attached to Jamie, he was well postioned for the cross, but somehow the ball looped and dipped into the top corner. Cheltenham predictably turned up the heat but never really threatened. They were as poor a side as I have seen all year. My barometer of how good a side is is how many of their players would get into our side. On todays performance, answer is none.

"Highlights: Vincentis goal. Such quick feet for a tall man, lost it twice won it back twice and stuck i away.
Adam Mekki, another diamond that just needs a little polish. And the stading ovation the travelling support gave him. Top class.

"One other thing, our upturn in fortunes have seem to have started since Halls and Gutts were paired in centre midfield. Coincidence?” - slaphead