It was the first time the Robins had won a league game at the venue but the result was a deserved one, Cheltenham having created the better chances in an absorbing game.The result was all the more remarkable given Yeovil's good form going into the game, a run of four straight wins taking them up to second in the table.
In truth, the Robins should have taken something from at least one of the games during the losing run, but this result will do a power of good for the confidence within the squad and give manager John Ward a selection headache when he finally gets some of his squad back into contention.
Ward made two changes to his team with loan signing Keith Lowe returning to the centre of defence in place of Michael Townsend and JJ Melligan recalled in place of Grant McCann, who is away on international duty with the Northern Ireland squad.
The return of Melligan resulted in a midfield re-shuffle with Brian Wilson moved back to the left flank and Craig Armstrong tucked inside to a central position.
Cheltenham won three corners in the opening five minutes and had the first shot of the game, a Melligan effort from distance that travelled well wide, although the home side appeared little concerned by these early exertions.
Yeovil settled quickly into a pattern of neat passing from the back, although both sides found it difficult to judge the path of the ball with a swirling wind whipping around Huish Park.
Yet Cheltenham found the gaps to attack when they could and won two more corners, the second of them after a shot from Gavin Caines was deflected onto the top of the net by a defender at the edge of the penalty area.
Then Brian Wilson, who enjoyed a bright first half for the Robins down the left-hand side, made a good chance for himself with a solo run from the half-way line into the penalty area. Wilson twisted and turned with three defenders around him but managed to get in a shot, which deflected off defender Terrell Forbes and behind for another corner.
Caines rammed a long-range free-kick over the crossbar and David Bird sent one just wide after some good work by Kayode Odejayi to engineer the opening.
Yeovil had created little in front of goal until the 36th minute when a curling free-kick from midfielder Chris Cohen almost picked out defender Terry Skiverton in the penalty area. The long-serving centre back was inches away from making contact at close range.
Cheltenham kicked off the second half playing against the wind but the Robins had the first chance of the second period when Bird thumped a shot from the edge of the area into the midriff of Glovers goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall.
However, Yeovil served notice of their goal threat with a lightning quick breakaway only moments later.
Kevin Cooper found on-loan Bristol City striker Marcus Stewart with a pass down the left and his cross was scooped against the crossbar by the stretching Wayne Gray.
Cohen then made a good run onto a cross from Jean-Paul Kalala but despite making contact only six yards out, his shot drifted wide of the target.
The early stages of the second half were certainly more lively than the first and the crowd responded in kind by pushing up the noise level a couple of notches.
13 minutes after the break Skiverton saw a header from a Cohen corner kicked off the line by Mickey Bell; then Stewart volleyed wide from 18 yards as the home side enjoyed their best spell of the game to that point.
Armstrong had done extremely well in midfield, winning a series of tackles and driving his team on, but he overstepped the mark in the 60th minute with an over zealous tackle on Cohen that earned him the first booking of the match from Premiership referee Phillip Dowd.
Cheltenham were holding their defensive shape despite the renewed efforts of the home side and when Gray finally wriggled free of his markers in the 70th minute to get a sight of goal, Brown was behind it with a safe piece of handling.
Gray got free of Bell and burst into the area five minutes later but on this occasion he scuffed his cross and Lowe was able to get the ball clear.
With nine minutes to go Wilson almost grabbed the glory with what would have been a spectacular goal. He collected a pass from Odejayi wide on the left before cutting inside on his right foot and unleashing vicious shot from 25 yards that clipped the crossbar.
In an amazing sequence five minutes from time the Robins recent terrible luck in front of goal was further crystallised with three great chances to score.
First, Guinan got up for a free header from a Bell free-kick but his effort bounced back off the post. Caines followed up for the rebound six yards out but his shot was saved by Mildenhall.Bell then went in for the third one but sliced his effort wide.
Still there was more drama to come, however.
With three minutes to go Armstrong fed Bell and his cross from wide on the left found Melligan for a free header at the far post. The Irishman kept his cool and his head down, nodding the ball into the ground and past the goalkeeper.
Brown gathered a chance from Yeovil substitute Ishmael Welsh when a wild header from Wilson landed at the young forward's feet at close range; then Brown dived to make a fine save from Paul Terry deep into injury time to preserve the three points and his first clean sheet for the first team.
YEOVIL TOWN (4-5-1): Mildenhall; Lynch, Forbes, Skiverton, Jones; Gray, Kalala (Barry 64), Terry, Cohen, Cooper (Welsh 82); Stewart. Subs not used: Tonkin, Guyett, Webb
CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Brown; Gill, Caines, Lowe, Bell; Melligan (Yao 90), Bird, Armstrong, Wilson; Guinan, Odejayi. Subs not used: Puddy (Gk), Townsend, Connolly, Wylde
REFEREE: P.Dowd (Staffordshire)
ATTENDANCE: 6,220
