It was a nerve-wracking, intense 90 minutes at the Abbey Business Stadium but it was superb to watch Cheltenham hold on to win 2-1 against AFC Wimbledon.
The team started well, and I was impressed by the determined efforts in midfield, and despite a few hairy moments in the box - Midson missing an open goal that could have levelled the scores agonising to watch – the team defended well.
Moving ahead to Tuesday's home game against Chesterfield and next Saturday's away game against Burton Albion, the side have to hold on to the confidence displayed today. Simply, they need to start scoring more goals and make the most of the goals they do score. Fans know CTFC have seen too many draws this season, and confidence and winning momentum moving forward are now crucial. At the bottle-end of the season and in given how close the league is now, getting three points whenever possible has never been more important.
OUT OF TEN
Scott Brown – Made two or three very good, solid saves in the first half and could not do much about brilliant goal from Dickenson for Wimbledon. Shame not to get a clean sheet. 8/10
Keith Lowe – Caught my eye. Was quick on to the ball, diligent down the wing and had a few lovely touches. His crosses in to the box were mainly solid and played well with Penn and Taylor in midfield. 8/10
Billy Jones – Calm under pressure and defended solidly. Excellent cross into the box to set up the Elliott goal, demonstrating his talent in set-pieces 7/10
Darren Carter – A few nervous moments, but his well-struck goal (56) proved crucial. Replaced by Kaid Mohamed shortly after scoring but certainly made his presence known on the pitch. 6/10
Steve Elliott – A lovely goal to open the scoreline in the 10th minute with a well-placed header. Not afraid to get stuck in and worked very hard. 7/10
Sam Deering - A joy to watch and lively on the ball. Quick and tireless, he put in a bullish performance that you couldn't ask for much more from. Tiny but mighty, he created chances and added pace to the game. Fans and my MOTM 9/10
Marlon Pack - Some lovely passing work and aggressive play but at times was a little quiet. Was lucky not to get booked, but certainly had an impact on the game. 7/10
Russ Penn – Despite the yellow card, Penn had a real impact in this game. Tenacious, aggressive and quick on to every ball, you couldn't fault his efforts. Replaced by McGlashan in the 86th minute and got recognition from the fans he deserved when he went off. 8/10
Paul Benson – Couldn't do much up front today with the lack of opportunities coming through. Quiet game in an isolated position as lone striker. 6/10
Jason Taylor – Worked very well with Penn and Lowe and was aggressive in his challenges. Overall, a solid effort in midfield. 7/10
Michael Hector – A few beautiful passes and crosses stood out and did well to limit damage when Wimbledon were attacking. Solid and reliable. 7/10
