Quite what Sven-Goran Eriksson made of it all is anyone's guess.

The former Lazio, Benfica and England boss watched intently from the Stagecoach Stand as his Notts County side were pegged back by Elvis Hammond at the Abbey Business Stadium this afternoon.

Despite their deep pockets the Magpies have toiled away from Meadow Lane this term but this was nevertheless a fantastic result from a Cheltenham perspective, having lost two on the bounce coming in to this one.

The Robins defended manfully to contain the promotion hopefuls, going on to create a host of chances to win it though on balance, a draw was a fair result.

Luke Rodgers fired home his fourth goal in two games to break the deadlock midway through the first half but, not for the first time this season, Martin Allen's side dug in and forced themselves back into the contest thanks to Hammond's fourth of the season with a quarter of an hour to play.

TEAM NEWS: Martin Allen made two changes to the side which lost out to Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night, bringing in West Ham loanee Holmar Eyjolfsson for his Football League debut at right back and Andy Gallinagh, who was restored in a central midfield role. David Bird therefore played out on the right. Meanwhile David Hutton and Josh Low, who started that 2-1 defeat four days, took their places on the substitute's bench.

Eighth minute: Richards smashed the ball past Kasper Schmeichel with eight minutes on the clock but the effort was chalked off for offside after a positive start by the home side, who had created a handful of half chances in the opening exchanges through Michael Pook.

10: Lee Hughes went close after racing on to a long downfield ball by Schmeichel but Scott Brown was alert to the danger and saved the striker's clever effort with his legs.

12: Bird created the next chance, releasing Hammond with a precision ball after 12 minutes but Brendan Moloney, the County right back, made a superb last-ditch tackle to prevent the striker releasing his shot.

17: Lee Ridley crossed from the left to hand Bird a 17th minute chance but his header was comfortably gathered by Schmeichel.

25: Cheltenham's strong start to the match continued with an opportunity for Gallinagh, who fired over at the second attempted from 12 yards after Bird had sent one of his long throws into the penalty area.

26 GOAL: Cheltenham Town 0-1 Notts County
Despite Cheltenham's promising opening to the game, it was Notts County who took the lead midway through the first half through Rogers. Moloney's ball down the right had caught the Cheltenham defence square and the former Shrewsbury Town, Port Vale and Yeovil Town striker raced on to it before dispatching an angled drive past Brown.

30: John Thompson met a Ben Davies' corner with a powerful header at the far post, but the ball fizzed past the right post.

44: Townsend was denied by the bar a minute before the break when he applied a measured volley to Bird's free-kick from the left touchline.

HALF TIME: 0-1

48: Hayles struck the upright three minutes after the interval after Bird had picked him out from the right. The striker volleyed it from the edge of the box but it came off the outside of the left upright.

51: Drissa Diallo called Schmeichel into a smart save after meeting Ridley's centre with a decent enough header.

52: At the other end, Matt Richie blasted one into the 729 travelling supporters from the corner of the box, missing the target by a matter of inches.

66 SUBSTITUTION: Debutant Eyjolfsson was withdraw with 24 minutes remaining to path the way for Julian Alsop to join Hammond up front, with Hutton and Hayles supplying the pair from the flanks.

70: Ritchie released a clean strike past the angle of Brown's goal from all of 25 yards.

73 SUBSTITUTION: Karl Hawley, who scored for Carlisle United against Cheltenham at Brunton Park in the 2006-07 campaign, came on in place of the goalscorer Rodgers.

75 GOAL Cheltenham Town 1-1 Notts County
The home side were back on terms with 15 minutes remaining through Hammond after Ridley had sent another one of his trademark long throws into the Notts County box from the left. Alsop looked set to reach it with a stooping header but it evaded the big man, running loose allowing the striker to swivel and thump a low shot past Schmeichel from close-range.

81 SUBSTITUTION: Craig Westcarr replaced Ritchie in the closing stages of the match.

82: Alsop almost produced the second eight minutes from time, heading another Ridley throw on target although Schmeichel got across this goal to claw it around for a corner.

87: Alsop produced another spirited cameo and created one last chance late on, lifting a left footer over the bar.

FULL TIME: 1-1

CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Brown; Eyjolfsson (Alsop 66), Diallo, Townsend, Ridley; Bird, Gallinagh, Pook, Richards (Hutton 69); Hayles, Hammond. Subs not used: Watkins, Low, Lewis, Cox, Richardson (Gk).

NOTTS COUNTY (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Moloney, Thompson (c), Edwards, Jones; Davies, Ravenhill, Jackson, Ritchie (Westcarr 81); Hughes, Rodgers (Hawley  73). Subs not used: Lee, Bishop, Pilkington (Gk), Clapham, Facey.

REFEREE: MP Russell

ATTENDANCE: 4,134 (729 from Nottingham)

Murry Toms at the Abbey Business Stadium