Somewhere Under the Radar

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 01/03/2025

CHELTENHAM: historic spa town, Regency buildings, race course, spies and a football team. With its surplus of bistros and art galleries, Cheltenham doesn't strike me as a footballing sort of place, if there is such a thing.

In most places there's an edginess. Not here. I had been here once before. It was in 2005 when I came to watch Town win 3 - 2 with two goals coming from Michael Reddy. That was a Friday night. 3pm on a Saturday seems more of a rarity nowadays with Sky dictating schedules but they missed this one so today's game started at a time which didn't involve logistical problems or unduly late finishes. As a football club Cheltenham Town seem to have gone under the radar this season. I can't remember seeing them vying for promotion nor are they part of the relegation mix. But they have won 12 games, and are coming off a fighting draw against table-toppers Walsall following two wins. One of the games they lost was in the reverse fixture in August, when we won with a familiar 3 - 2 scorelIne. But that seemed a lifetime ago. Whilst we needed to be careful not to be caught out in Cheltenham, we really had nothing to fear as the form team of the division, and we had been performing well of late both going forwards and in defensive resilience.

Today's starting XI was: Wright - Rodgers, Tharme, McJannet - Svanthorsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Hume - Burns, Rose. Obikwu was still out following his car accident. With Cheltenham in their customary red and white stripes, Town wore blue today. Of the 4,473 here, around 600 Town fans murmured with anticipation here at the EV Charger Points stadium. The atmosphere wasn't quite electric in this bucolic setting.

On 4 minutes a neat McEachren turn led to a pass to Burns who was through but offside. Town looked like they were up for a battle. On 9 minutes Rose won a tackle in defence, leading to a break. Green set himself and shot but keeper Day saved it with his legs, conceding a corner. Hume's corner was headed on by Tharme but the ball was cleared. Khouri was then in the action, first being tripped by Thomas. Hume's delivery was too long. Khouri was then fouled again after recovering a Green error. On 13 minutes a Khouri shot was deflected for a corner. Hume tried to wriggle through but his shot was blocked. Green was booked for a physical challenge. On 16 minutes Cheltenham broke. Wright charged out and blasted his clearance off McJannet, fortunately for a throw in as Town's defence cleared the threat. Town's defence cleared the threat. McEachren robbed Thomas but was unable to make anything of it. Pressure from Svanthorsson led to a throw but in spite of a misheader by Jude-Boyd, Town were unable to take advantage. On 22 minutes Cheltenham won a free kick on the right after a foul for which Hume was booked. As the cross came in, the home fans screamed for handball. The referee awarded a penalty. Miller stepped up and shot to Wright's left corner -saved! After punching the ball clear, Wright took the cross. Cheltenham continued to press and won a corner two minutes later. Adedikun passed to Williams whose low drilled shot from outside the box evaded a sea of legs and finished in the bottom right corner. Cheltenham 1, Town 0. Cheltenham's confidence was boosted and the home side proceeded to dominate the ensuing section of play, with Wright doing well to cut out a cross from Jude-Boyd while Miller lurked. But Town responded, themselves dominating play for the rest of the half. On 34 minutes Rodgers went close with a piledriver following good hold-up play by Green. No-one was then able to get on the end of more good work by Green who set up another attack. Town won a free-kick but Rodgers's header was weak. Svanthorsson then found Khouri in space. Khouri was clean through but his shot was really poor and caused Day no problem when he should have scored. More determination by Green earned Town a throw which Tharme took. Tharme's long throws are beginning to look dangerous and here the ball was cleared, for McJannet to direct a header which Day had to tip over the bar. Burns was fouled on the left. The ball was cleared but came back in. Tharme could not get a toe end in it to prod it home. As the half neared it's end, great work by Burns and Green led to Hume forcing a save. Town played the ball around but were unable to break through. So the half ended with Cheltenham 1 - 0 up. It had been a feisty struggle. Town were up for the battle and played with intensity, having the upper hand in the shots department. This game was definitely retrievable.

The second half started with a Town corner and a flying header from Green after Burns was fouled. On 52 minutes Svanthorsson took possession in midfield and ran rings round the defence. Having reached a dead end, the ball was played out to the right. The Ross came in. Svanthorsson moved in on keeper Day who under pressure pushed the ball out. Rodgers was on hand to pounce and slam the ball home 1 - 1 and vindication for Rodgers who was adjudged to be the guilty party for Cheltenham's penalty. Town were then forced to defend. Miller shot from close range. The ball came out to Thomas but Wright was well placed to make a save. Once again Town pulled themselves back into the game with good play. Sheer determination from the irrepressible Green kept an attack going. On 60 minutes Rodgers played a routine pass back to Wright. Instead of clearing it upfield, Wright took a touch and attempted to play the ball back to Rodgers. The pass with underhit. Archer intercepted the pass, rounded Wright and passed the ball towards the net. Somehow Wright got back and managed to get down to palm the ball away and avert his own calamity. The resultant corner came in. McJannet was kicked in the head and the threat was over. With 65 minutes gone, Cheltenham put together a slick move. Town's defence, visibly marshalled by Tharme, stood firm. More good work from Green started a move. On 68 minutes Thompson and Luker replaced McEachren and Burns. McJannet did well to head away a ferocious cross from Adedokun before Town launched an attack. Svanthorsson and Thompson combined. Thompson crossed to Rose who stopped low and won a corner. Town had played the ball around well. After the corner came a throw which Tharme delivered. Thompson's header was firm but wide. On 75 minutes Warren replaced the injured Rodgers. Town were pressing forward purposefully. Svanthorsson was looking the trickiest player on the pitch. Thompson was providing guile as well as power to supplement Green. On 81 minutes Rose improbably won a free-kick on the left after being outpaced by Bradbury. Hume's cross was headed clear before Svanthorsson shot low and wide. Svanthorsson then picked up the ball in midfield before losing it. Tracking back to stop the move further, Svanthorsson was inexplicably booked. On 85 minutes Cheltenham won a corner. Williams played it in and Hume calmly passed it out of play, looking as if he had passed it into his own net. But he hasn't so Cheltenham had another go. This time Hay's header landed on top of the net. The influential Thompson sent a ball into the box at the other end but Svanthorsson couldn't control it. Both sides were playing for a win. It was a tense finish to a cut-and-thrust game. With a minute of normal time left, Svanthorsson and Hume combined on the left, resulting in a dangerous cross. Four minutes were added. Both teams were still going for it. Khouri was adjudged to have fouled Williams on the left corner. Warren did well to be alert to and cut out the long cross. Town went forward. Another controversial free-kick was awarded as Bradbury fouled Rose. Town won a corner. Green was injured and had to be replaced by Cass. As time ran out Hume sent in a brilliant cross. Rose's header was blocked. Tharme shot from close range but Day made a good save. It was all over. Cheltenham Town 1, Grimsby Town 1.

This was a tense, entertaining and open game with plenty of moments of excitement and both sides gunning for victory. Town can claim to have been the better side with 20 shots against Cheltenham's 9. Town's performance was good and played with resolve and fluidity, especially in the second half. At the same time Cheltenham will be ruing their inability to capitalise on Wright's howler in the second half, and at times looked dangerous themselves. Like Cheltenham, we've been under the radar ourselves, with until now there have been no expectations for Town success in the eyes of others and even from own support. This in part has been down to inconsistent results, and partly down to other clubs in the league being bigger or wealthier. But the signs are that things are changing for the better, and other teams need to take notice where we have perhaps been seen as also-rans by those teams above us. We have some big games coming up in the next couple of weeks, so we'll be able to evaluate our position after that. What is clear is that we saw a good game today, and we are heading for exciting times.

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