Tuesday 6th September
Cheltenham Town Reserves got their Central League season off to the perfect start with a convincing 7-1 win over Newport County Reserves.
The Robins had Jack Munns and Aaron Downes making their returns from injury, and both played well in a first half that saw trialist Ben Kalambay, Jonny Smith and Koby Arthur give them a 3-0 lead at half time.
Second half goals from Munns, Jordan Lymn, George Lloyd and another from Kalambay gave the scoreline a more convincing look even though Rhys Kavanagh pulled a late goal back for the Welsh side.
.http://www.ctfc.com/news/article/2016-17/ticket-information-plymouth-argyle-newport-county-cheltenham-town-3285704.aspxThe first team also face Newport on Saturday in the League and information on tickets is available here:
Kalambay gave The Robins the lead from close range just five minutes in after he was fed the ball by Jack Munns.
Just a few minutes later Smith doubled Cheltenham's lead as he cut inside on the right and hit a fantastic left-footed shot into the far top corner.
On the 13 minute mark it was 3-0 as Koby Arthur picked up the ball on the left hand side and took it past the defender before slotting it into the far corner.
It could have been more after 27 minutes when good play out wide from Kalambay saw him skilfully cross the ball onto the head of Amari Morgan-Smith, but his header was straight at the goalkeeper.
Apart from two powerful headers by Downes from a couple of fantastic Munns corners, neither side created much else for the remainder of the half and it remained 3-0 at the break.
After the interval Cheltenham continued to dominate and it didn't take long for Munns to get on the scoresheet as he finished off a Kalambay cross.
The Robins then went even further ahead just before the hour mark when Lymn was given space on the right hand edge of the box, and he rifled the ball into the far corner.
Less than a minute later substitute George Lloyd got in on the action when he was put through on goal, and he stayed cool and composed to hit a low shot into the back of the net.
70 minutes in Kalambay was given just the goalkeeper to beat thanks to a clever pass by Munns, but he took it too wide and his eventual shot was pushed out for a corner.
With just 10 minutes left Newport pulled a goal back thanks to a low, smart finish from Rhys Kavanagh when he was through on goal.
Cheltenham had the last word though as Kalambay got his second of the game and rounded off the score line by lobbing the County goalkeeper from the edge of the box.