After a positive start to the Robins Carabao Cup round one tie at Bristol Rovers, boss Michael Duff felt his side didn't capitalise on a good opening against their League One opponents, who ran out 3-0 winners at the Memorial Stadium.
Tyler Smith bagged a brace for the Pirates, who also saw Jonson Clarke-Harris add a third in the second half, to see Cheltenham exit the competition at the first round stage against higher level opponents.
Speaking to the press post-match, Duff was disappointed with the outcome on the night after the way his team started.
"It shows us away from home and us at home at the minute," Duff said. "I think we got beaten by a better team who showed why they are a division above us.
"We started the game well and got down the sides of their two centre halves in the first five or ten minutes really well.
"We stopped shifting it as they came on a bit of a press. At home we keep doing it and play through. The ball ended up with Scott [Flinders] too many times - seven or eight passes back to Scott and he ended up whacking it down the pitch.
"Their shape caused us a few problems with the diamond in there. They've got some good players, with rotations, but even at 1-0 at half time I wasn't too disappointed. But when it went 2-0 we completely switched off.
"I just said a few choice words in there. I think a few of the senior players need to step up in those sorts of moments because I thought our best two players were an 18 and 19-year-old today."
Watch more from Duff's post-match reaction above on iFollow.
You can follow the Robins on the road next when the team head to Morecambe on Saturday. Tickets for the game at the Globe Arena are on sale from the CTFC ticket office. For prices and Travel Club information look here.