Cheltenham Town FC

Cheltenham Town made it into the second round of the FA Youth Cup with a 5-1 win over Swindon Town.

Within the first two minutes of the match, Swindon's Jayden Mitchell-Lawson looked lively going past Jordan Lymn down the left flank although he was muscled out of play as the chance came to nothing. Cheltenham's first chance of the match came minutes later from Luke Thomas, after some good link up play with centre midfielder James McCarthy, he fired a shot just inside the box heading for the top corner only for goalkeeper Connor Johns to palm it away.

At a rainy World of Smile Stadium, Mitchell-Lawson was again the architect of Swindon's attack, his back heel flick put in Jordan Young but his curling shot was blocked down low by Bojan Tetek.

On the eighth minute the robins found themselves deservedly in front. Luke Thomas did well down the right hand side and sent in a low cross to find Karnell Chambers, who managed to poke home the ball after Johns spilled it.  

On the 20th minute Swindon were back on terms, a header from a Swindon corner was initially saved by Tetek but the rebound fell to Tom Smith from close-range who smashed it into the goal. But within minutes, the robins should have been back in front. Alex Dinsmore and Lewis Thompson linked up well in the box and the ball eventually fell to an unmarked Thompson but his shot dragged wide of the goal.

Cheltenham were almost undone again from a set piece but had the bar to thank. A short corner found Jordan Young and his dipping shot from 20 yards beat Tetek but grazed the woodwork and went over.

Just after the half hour mark, the pendulum swung Cheltenham's way and Alex Dinsmore could have made it 2-1 to the robins. The ball fell to an unmarked Dinsmore 10 yards out but his effort went straight at Johns who saved it comfortably. Thompson again almost found the net, Jordan Lymn's whipped in cross found Thompson, again unmarked, he headed wide but the offside flag was up.

On the 41st minute and Cheltenham were back in front. James McCarthy whipped in a free-kick from 25 yards out and centre half Matthew Bower finished on the volley from five yards out. Bower's goal was enough to see the robins into the break 2-1 up.

Five minutes into the second half and the robins could have easily been 3-1 up. Karnell Chambers was unmarked in the box but his low driven shot was kept out by Johns down low to keep the score at 2-1. Lewis Thompson then had a chance easier to score than miss, after Johns slipped after trying to clear the ball all Thompson had to do was finish into an empty net, instead he looked to play it across the face of goal, under hit it and Johns managed to gather the ball.

On the 64th minute, Thompson finally had his goal to make it 3-1 and it looked like the robins were on their way through. The striker intercepted an attempted squared ball advanced on goal and fired home from an angle from 12 yards to all but wrap up the win.  

After the third goal, Cheltenham really stepped it up a gear. Thompson looked to get on the scoresheet for a second time but his deflected shot from distance was dealt with by Johns in the Swindon goal. Karnell Chambers also looked to rub salt in the wound but his shot from 20 yards out flew over the bar.

One of the few chances for Swindon in the second half fell to Jake Evans when his flicked on header was on target, but was saved well by Bojan Tetek.

The game was sealed with three minutes to go, Lewis Thompson flicked on a long ball to Alex Dinsmore who played the offside trap perfectly and finished smartly past Connor Johns to make it 4-1.

Thompson was on hand again to make it 5-1, the ball took a huge deflection off referee Robin Cox and fell to Lewis Thompson who smartly finished past the keeper.

As the game petered out, Cheltenham dominated possession and rightly earned their place in the second round of the youth cup.

 

Cheltenham Town: Tetek, Lymn, Cordell, Bower, Pring, L. Thomas (Ellicott 84'), Mendes, McCarthy, Chambers (Hance 75'), Thompson (C), Dinsmore

Subs not used: Clayton (GK), J. Thomas

Swindon Town: Johns, Marks (Stanley 52'), Spalding, Smith, Wood, Ouldridge, Gunner, Evans, Young, Twine (Martinez 90'), Mitchell-Lawson.

Subs not used: Henry (GK), Simpson

Referee: Mr Robin Cox