PROUD Mark Yates heaped praise on Cheltenham Town's players and backroom staff after they defeated Burton Albion 1-0 to move level on points with second placed Port Vale on Saturday.

A month, potentially pivotal to their promotion hopes, has started with FA Cup first round progress and a stirring performance at leaders Gillingham – where they drew 0-0 – followed by a fourth home win in succession.

Yates told his players they had earned themselves an enjoyable Saturday night and Sunday off, but they will be back in training today to begin preparations for their trip to Rotherham United in five days' time.

"It was a very hard fought and thoroughly deserved win and our first half performance was excellent," Yates said.

"Three defeats in 17 League games this season shows what a good start to the season we've had.

"The players work tremendously hard when we ask them to and everyone deserves a massive pat on the back at the end of a really tough week.

"We've kept three clean sheets, come away with four points in the League and also progressed in the FA Cup so everyone deserves credit.

"My staff and players can enjoy their Saturday night and then we'll be back in on Monday to work again.

"We won't take our foot off the gas at all, but I'd just like to praise my staff and players because they've been magnificent."

Yates said Saturday's victory was particularly sweet for former Burton man Russ Penn, who was his manager's choice for man of the match after a typically energetic midfield performance.

"Russ was absolutely outstanding and that's the best I've seen him play for quite a while," he said.

"A goal is around the corner for him and I really fancied him to score against his old club and his performance deserved it.

"If he finished off all his chances he probably wouldn't be here. The lads love him, he is brilliant around the place and we won it for him really, and Shaun Harrad against their old club."

The winner was scored by front man Chris Zebroski and Yates said it was richly deserved after some selfless performances leading the line on his own.

"You could see with the celebration how much it meant to the players and they all jumped on top of Zebs," Yates said.

"It's for the effort and workrate he puts in and he's a real handful. We have some very good players here and he's one of them."

Midfielder Lawson D'Ath is unlikely to be fit to play any further part during his initial one month loan spell at Cheltenham from Reading.

He is back with the Premier League club receiving treatment for a knee injury picked up in the FA Cup first round win over Yate Town, but Yates said he would be keen to welcome him back for a further loan spell when he regains full fitness.

"We didn't take Lawson on a whim or for one or two games," Yates said. "We like him and we like what he's about so when he's fit, we'll talk to Reading about getting him back."

D'Ath was expecting his scan results today which will reveal the exact extent of the damage.

■ The Robins Trust will hold its annual general meeting in the Robins Nest bar on Thursday evening (7pm).

It will be followed by a fans' forum with Cheltenham Town manager Mark Yates and chairman Paul Baker.

A TORRENTIAL middle third nearly left Gloucester submerged at the sodden Liberty Stadium.

Forget the weather though – the downpour that cost the Cherry and Whites was conceding 20 unanswered points.

As sloppy as the Swansea pitch was sodden, Nigel Davies' men simply could not clear their lines smartly enough, nor stay sufficiently disciplined to grind to another tight victory.

The customary last-gasp heroics turned a 26-13 deficit into an improbable and in truth undeserved 27-26 lead.

But then the Ospreys took advantage of another woeful exit strategy, to use the coaches' shorthand jargon, and powered back for rightful victory.

Powerful Kiwi centre Tim Molenaar was left lamenting the fact that the only leaks on a stormy night were those in Gloucester's defence and elementary clearance structure.

And now he believes the Cherry and Whites have to harness their trademark resilience – and turn it into full-contest dominance rather than last-ditch turnaround salvage jobs.

"We made sure we left with respect," admitted the 31-year-old former Nottingham line-breaker, "but we need to start being more than just resilient.

"We need to make sure we start leading these games all the way through.

"The confidence is definitely there, and the boys will fight right until the end, but we just need to get ourselves in better positions so that when we go into the closing stages we can be in more command, rather than trying to claw our way back into things.

"We've got to be a bit tidier, a bit smarter.

"We made some silly errors, but we did battle back and we can be pleased with that aspect.

"The challenge now is to learn from our shortcomings and sharpen up.

"We lost our way in that third quarter – at least we managed to come back from that, but we certainly let ourselves down after half-time.

"We never give in, the score was irrelevant for us. We just needed to get back in the game, get the respect back.

"Potentially we should have held on at the end, but we nearly got out of jail there.

"The team spirit's there, and now we've got to build on the technical sides of things."

Yann Thomas' opening try on 27 minutes after a lineout drive was just reward for a fine night in both tight and loose, cut short by injury early in the second half. The loosehead prop typified Gloucester's scrummage dominance, that grew and grew with the contest.

If only the rest of their game could have matched that resolve and regimen.

Ospreys fly-half Matt Morgan's three penalties and two drop-goals snatched a first lead for the home side on the stroke of half-time.

And as the third quarter bit, the Ospreys turned their 15 points into 26, through another Morgan penalty, a score for wing Tom Grabham – and a second-touch penalty from Nigel Davies' son Sam.

Almost every time Gloucester tried to clear their lines they failed to do so cleanly, and that completely undermined an otherwise reasonable full debut for Billy Burns. His departure from the field with a serious-looking shoulder injury just shy of the hour compounded a frustrating night.

If he is sidelined for a while, the 18-year-old Academy man must content himself with the fact he is progressing nicely.

Just when Gloucester looked bound for ignominy though, the Cherry and Whites conjured that Nigel Davies-era trademark resilience.

Dan Murphy capped one strong forward sequence with a good try, and in next to no time the visitors had registered a penalty try from a barnstorming driving lineout.

But perhaps Gloucester had made a fool of fickle fate once too often in their early-season habit of sneaking wins from gritty performances.

So that 27-26 lead last little more than a minute.

Another botched restart clearance later, Ospreys blasted into centre-field from a lineout tail peel – and number eight Morgan Allen was driven over at serious pace.

Davies Junior slotted the conversion and full-time followed shortly afterwards – leaving the Kingsholm men deflated.

Gloucester coaches Davies and Paul Moriarty watched their sons lock horns, Sam for Ospreys and Ross for the Cherry and Whites, both youngsters impressing.

The wrong Davies had the final word from a Gloucester view, but this loss was all down to inaccuracy rather than family ties.

OSPREYS: R Jones, T Grabham (N Edwards, 69), B John, J Spratt, W Price, M Morgan (S Davies, 61), R Webb (T Haberfield, 61), M Thomas, M Dwyer, J Rees ( N Thomas, 68), L Peers (R Hughes, 72), J King, G Stowers, S Lewis (capt), M Allen. Unused: S Otten, N Smith, A Ellis.

GLOUCESTER: M Thomas, S Monahan, D Locke, T Molenaar, I Clark, B Burns (D Lewis, 54), D Robson, Y Thomas (D Murphy, 45), T d'Apice (K Britton, 58), D Chistolini (T Heard, 69), E Stooke, W Graulich, R Moriarty, M Cox, P Buxton (capt). Unused: E King, B Sparks, G Boulton, S Reynolds.

REFEREE: D Rose (Eng).

ATTENDANCE: 5,738.

GLOUCESTER'S young guns are ready for the Fiji challenge tomorrow night – and they need the experience, believes boss Nigel Davies.

The Cherry and Whites rugby director will throw the majority of the young squad that lost out 33-27 at the Ospreys on Friday night straight back into top-level action at Kingsholm tomorrow (kick-off 7.45pm).

A tight four-day turnaround sets up a testing double-header for the likes of Elliott Stooke, Koree Britton and even more established young talents like Dan Robson.

But Davies has confidence in his developing talents – and said the only way they will hit their straps – and fast – is through experiences like this.

Powerhouse flanker Akapusi Qera is unlikely to feature for Gloucester against his country Fiji tomorrow – because Davies wants him for Saturday's LV=Cup clash against London Welsh.

Former Llanelli boss Davies is preparing to throw several of his frontline stars back into action against Welsh – to build them back into shape and form ahead of the return to the Premiership a week later.

Gloucester host Sale Sharks on Saturday, November 24 in the league, and Davies wants all his big guns in prime condition.

Gearing up for a busy week, Davies said: "We'll probably put out a similar side to the team that we did on Friday, and then look to change things round for London Welsh.

"Most of these boys will have to back Friday up tomorrow and it's a great experience for them.

"It should be an exciting night at Kingsholm with Fiji in town, and these boys have an opportunity again to show what they can do.

"The important thing about improving the strength and depth of the squad is that one of the best ways to do that is by giving experience to the young players you have through the squad.

"We've tried to do that as much as possible this year, in the A League, the Amlin and now the LV=Cup.

"It's really important we keep on pushing things that way, and realise that our priority this year is the league, while also using the other competitions to help us push on with the constant challenge of strengthening the squad as things progress."

Battering-ram flanker Qera grafted hard at Twickenham on Saturday, as Fiji lost out 54-12 to more robust England.

After initially rejecting Fiji's advances for autumn international action, in favour of fighting for Gloucester in November, Qera was pressed into service on Saturday to offset injury problems.

That call-up is still expected to last just the one match, and so Gloucester anticipate the 28-year-old being available for the entirety of this week.

But Gloucester chief Davies admits he sees more value in pitching him into action against London Welsh on Saturday, rather than letting him loose against his countrymen tomorrow.

No doubt the supporters would have loved to see Qera take on his national team-mates in club colours at his home ground.

The Gloucester boss knows he has to keep control of the bigger picture though – and that means keeping one eye on the visit of Sale on Saturday week.

Men like Nick Wood, Rupert Harden and Tom Savage up front, and Freddie Burns, Billy Twelvetrees and James Simpson-Daniel behind the scrum too, will all benefit from time out from Friday's Ospreys clash.

All those and more could do with some involvement against Welsh however, to keep them battle-hardened.

Davies added: "Akapusi could be an option but I think if he's released then we'd probably look to use him on Saturday.

"While we mix things up and give opportunities for people in these games in competitions like the LV=Cup, we've also got to make sure we don't leave other players could.

"So we'll have that in mind when we're making selection calls for Saturday's game against Welsh, which will be another massive test in itself."

TEN journeys. Five routes. Two vehicles. One man.

With St Margaret's Road three-week traffic light switch-off kicking off today, Councillor Andrew Lansley, will embark on his crusade to discover just how commuters winding their way by car through Cheltenham will be affected by the traffic trial.

For the next five days, Mr Lansley (Lib Dem, St Paul's) will take to the wheel to drive five routes across town.

And to add another dimension to his own experiment, he will be alternating the journeys he makes between his Volkswagen Polo and Citroen Relay white van.

His routes will start from his home opposite the University of Gloucestershire's Francis Close Hall campus, to the institution's Park campus, where he works as a lecturer.

The stopwatch will run from the moment his key turns in the ignition, and stop only once he's reached his destination, in his quest to assess how congested the journey is.

"I hope to have a better understanding on the impact that the switch-off will have on traffic and also to see if there is a difference," he said.

"I'm not looking to replicate the statistical data that will be used to assess efficiency, just to experience for myself the problems faced by drivers using the road and how it impacts on using the roads of St Paul's."

Mr Lansley will set off between 8.30am and 9am today and tomorrow, between 9am and 9.30am on Wednesday and Thursday, and 9.30am and 10am on Friday.

As well as tracking his progress in the Echo, Andrew will use Facebook and Twitter to log his experiment, illustrating his findings with screenshots of Google Earth and maps as he compares the estimated times with the real length he spends in the vehicles.

"The journey usually takes between six and 11 minutes, depending on traffic and the lights," he said.

"At the moment I can't tell if it's going to be worse or better, or make no difference whatsoever – it could go wrong, or it could have a positive effect."

Mr Lansley has admitted he would prefer Cheltenham to be a cycling town although he recognised many made their way to work by car.

He added: "I can't blame them for using St Paul's as a rat-run to avoid the sets of lights that halt traffic trying to drive through the town.

"It makes sense to this trial from the point of view of those it will affect the most."

IT is feared children as young as 10 are smoking marijuana in a drug-fuelled youth den which is 'blighting' a village community.

Drug dealing and taking have become the norm at a youth shelter at Hardwicke's playing fields, it has been claimed.

A gang of around 10 youths are now being monitored by police in a crackdown on the anti-social behaviour.

Dog walker Tim Jones, from Elmgrove Road East, said: "We have got 10-year-old kids smoking marijuana.

"When I walk past there you can see hundreds of wraps thrown around."

Parish council chairman councillor Ian Butler said: "We need to catch them early before they end up doing crack cocaine. It is going to lead onto something worse if we are not careful.

"We don't like this sort of activity because it blights the village. We will not accept it."

Mr Butler told a parish council meeting last week that he wanted to avoid having a police dispersal order placed on the area to move the youngsters on.

He added: "I don't think we want this sort of thing here in Hardwicke because it creates the wrong image for what is otherwise a decent community."

Questions remain over whether the parish council will keep the shelter which it installed four years ago.

Councillor David Moss, vice chairman, said: "Removing the shelter is going to take the problem elsewhere.

"We have got to get to the root of the problem rather than just move it around."

CCTV with night vision is monitoring the shelter 24 hours a day and police are pouring over the images.

PC Lucy Kay, area officer, told the parish council: "We have not yet had any positive drug searches but that doesn't mean to say that it is not going on. We need to get these individuals for the offences they are committing."

Businesses can find out how they can sell their goods and services to the public sector at a Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership seminar this month.

How to win public sector work will allow businesses to see real examples of how local companies have worked with the public sector to help demystify the process and help local businesses learn more about the extensive market of public sector contracts.

Keith Rog, head of Marketing and Development at GFirst, which drives Gloucestershire LEP, said: "The LEP's Business Membership Group has been doing a vast amount of work on local procurement to try and encourage Gloucestershire's biggest employers to buy products from county businesses rather than go to other areas of the UK or further afield.

"Public sector agencies are among the largest purchasers of goods and services in the county and many of them are keen to support local businesses, but because of their stringent processes many small and medium-sized enterprises don't know how to procure with them. This seminar is designed to help our SMEs learn about the processes they will have to go through to gain public sector work and make it easy for them to secure future work to boost their business and the local economy."
How to win public sector work will be held on Wednesday, November 28 at the Rickerbys LLP office in Wellington Street, Cheltenham.

Doors open at 8.30am, with the seminars taking place from 9am until 12.30pm followed by lunch and networking.

Speakers include John Little from Fluid Transfer on the subject of "How we were successful in winning government contracts", Imogen Batten from Gloucestershire NHS giving the public sector procurer's viewpoint, Matthew Wolton from Rickerbys LLP who will be helping businesses understand how public procurement works and Roger Walker from BWord Consultants talking about bidding in a consortium.

Places must be booked in advance and cost £25 per head, which includes lunch (£15 of which will be donated to the National Star College). To reserve your place or for more information contact Francesca Mathews on 01242 246444, email events@rickerbys.com or visit www.rickerbys.com .

PUTTING his back in to making Stroud shine has won praise from civic leaders and Britain in Bloom judges.
Volunteer Martin Weeks goes that extra mile to make sure Stroud town looks its best.
He weeds and maintains flower displays, helps with planting and picks up litter.
He spends hours ensuring the town looks its best for the Britain in Bloom judging day.
Now his efforts have been recognised by Stroud in Bloom which was awarded a gold in this year's competition.
When Martin lost his job three years ago he was determined not to sit about.
So he approached town councillor and Stroud in Bloom committee member Margaret Poulton and asked if there was anything he could do to help.
Since then he has been a volunteer with Stroud in Bloom and helps out at many of the town's green spaces.
Malcom Tarling, chairman of Stroud in Bloom, said: "Martin has been seen helping to clear weeds, and remove litter on his days off, in areas around the town which would be visited by the judges from the Heart of England."
"Nothing is too much effort for Martin. He simply gets stuck into whatever needs doing. He is a great champion of Stroud in Bloom," said Jim Mathison, the town council's green spaces manager.
Jim, who joined the town council's team a year ago, was also honoured by Stroud in Bloom.
He received the cup for outstanding contribution to town centre green spaces.
"Jim is an avid supporter of Bloom initiatives," said Mr Tarling. "Jim is prepared to advise as well as being actively involved in supporting the aims and objectives of Stroud in Bloom.
"This was evident this year, when, despite the appalling weather, he created a magnificent floral meadow at Wallbridge which was highly praised by the Heart of England judges."

TREE experts in Cheltenham are on alert for the killer fungal disease Ash dieback in the town.

Although it has already affected trees across the UK, borough council bosses said it has not been reported in the town. But they have asked residents to help keep an eye out for the problem.

Trees susceptible to infection include ones in Pittville Park, Princess Elizabeth Way, Leckhampton Hill and Benhall Woods as well as in private gardens.

Symtoms of the disease include leaves wilting or discolouring, lesions appearing on the bark and tiny fungi growing on leaf stalks. There is no risk to human or animal health from Chalara ash dieback.

Any tree thought to be infected will be reported to the Forestry Commission.

Councillor Roger Whyborn, cabinet member for sustainability, said: "We want to make sure residents are aware of the disease and the symptoms to looks for."

PLANS for a £500million incinerator at Javelin Park should be put on hold until a health study is published.

Lib Dem county councillors want the project paused while the Health Protection Agency  investigates a possible link between emissions and issues including still births and infant deaths.

Councillor Ceri Jones (LD, Bishop's Cleeve) said: "If councils like ours continue to plough ahead regardless, before this critical study is concluded, I believe it shamefully reckless."

The motion to full council will be debated at Shire Hall on November 21.

Police are trying to trace any witnesses to an incident that happened in Cheltenham.

At around 3am on Tuesday October 30 a man was walking in front of the Municipal Offices on the Promenade when he stopped to talk to two women.

He was then approached by two men who assaulted him.

The 28-year-old man from Cheltenham is thought to have been knocked unconscious suffering injuries to his face.

One offender is described as a white man, aged in his early twenties, around 6ft tall with short hair.

The other offender is described as a white man, aged in his early twenties, around 5ft 7inches tall with short hair.

This incident has only just been reported to police and officers are appealing for people to think back.

If anyone saw or heard anything that could help officers with their investigation they should call police on 101 quoting incident 202 of November 9.

You can also remain anonymous and contact the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org. In some cases Crimestoppers offer rewards of up to £1000 where information leads to a conviction.