October saw important wins over the likes of Accrington Stanley and Morecambe, while a point was snatched off Sheffield Wednesday in front of a big crowd.
Dylan Watts continues his review of the 2021/22 campaign with a look back at the third month of the season, which also saw the club's Papa John's Trophy commitments for the campaign come to an end in front of a record crowd.
Matchday 15: Cheltenham Town 0-2 Rotherham United
Competition: League One
Date: 02/10/2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Attendance: 3748
Five points separated the two sides coming into October, Rotherham on 17 in 5th and the Robins on 12 in 16th. Rotherham were looking to increase their chances of promotion this season as they travelled to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.
Scott Flinders was forced into making an incredible save to keep out a diving header from Michael Smith. Later, in the 26th minute he was called upon again to deny Oliver Rathbone’s powerful attempt. Both teams couldn’t be separated before the break but the Millers had the majority of the chances.
The deadlock was broken by Sunderland loanee Will Grigg when he followed up a low shot from Daniel Barlaser after it had been saved by Flinders. The second goal came 15 minutes from full time, Rarmani Edmonds-Green fired in from 22 yards, his first goal for Rotherham.
Taylor Perry almost pulled one back late on but Millers’ stopper Viktor Johansson was down to stop him to earn himself an away day clean sheet.
Matchday 16: Cheltenham Town 2-2 Exeter City (Exeter win 3-2 on pens)
Competition: Papa John’s Trophy
Date: 05/10/2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Attendance: 987
The Robins looked to gain more points in their Papa John’s Trophy campaign when they welcomed the Grecians to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium. Ellis Chapman and Felix Miles both scored to cancel out City’s first half goals from Colin Daniels and Josh Coley and take the game to penalties.
A sloppy start from Cheltenham allowed the Grecians to score inside the first eight minutes through the head of Colin Daniel.
Ellis Chapman powered the ball past Exeter 'keeper Harry Lee to level the score in the 37th minute, however less than a minute later Josh Coley gained possession off Dylan Barkers and coolly slotted past Owen Evans to restore City’s lead.
Cheltenham were rewarded for the pressure they put on the away side when they equalised. Miles scored his first professional goal for the club.
Both sides level at full time meant a point each but penalties to decide a bonus point with Exeter going onto get it by winning 3-2 on penalties.
Matchday 17: Cheltenham Town 1-0 Accrington Stanley
Competition: League One
Date: 16/10/2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Attendance: 3437
A third consecutive home game saw the Robins take on Accrington in the League.
The first league goal from Kyle Vassell secured the first win for Cheltenham since Oxford United on 18 September.
Accrington 'keeper Toby Savin had to keep out Mattie Pollock’s header from a corner inside the first fourteen minutes. At the other end, Scott Flinders had to get down to stop the former Cheltenham man, Harry Pell.
It was Cheltenham who scored though, after Savin palmed it right into the path of the Cheltenham forward Vassell who buried it. The only goal of the contest in the 79th minute secured all three points for the hosts.
Matchday 18: Cheltenham Town 3-1 Morecambe
Competition: League One
Date: 19/10/2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Attendance: 2909
Yet another home match at the Jonny-Rocks saw Morecambe visit. The newly promoted sides from League Two faced each other for the first time in League One.
Liam Sercombe opened the scoring for the Robins inside the first half an hour with a good volley into the bottom corner. Shrimps’ midfielder Adam Phillips equalised when he lashed home after he was laid off from an indirect freekick inside the box.
Kyle Joseph put Cheltenham back in front after he struck the back of the net from a Matty Blair low cross. Three minutes later, Joseph rippled the net again after his great curling shot hit the inside of the post and went in, giving the Robins consecutive home wins.
Matchday 19: Doncaster Rovers 3-2 Cheltenham Town
Competition: League One
Date: 23/10/2021
Venue: Eco Power Stadium
Attendance: 6101
The Robins were back on the road, this time going to the Eco Power Stadium to play Doncaster Rovers. Doncaster had had a struggling start to the season only gathering seven points and were bottom of the table.
Rovers started strongly taking the lead through Joe Dodoo. Dodoo cleverly took a long ball down and put it past Scott Flinders into the bottom corner. In first half stoppage time, Doncaster were 2-0 in front when skipper Tom Anderson nodded in from a corner.
The hosts continued to increase their advantage early in the second half as they grabbed a third. Cheltenham were given a chance to get back into the match with a penalty awarded for handball. Liam Sercombe was denied from the spot by Pontus Dahlberg to keep his team firmly in the lead for now.
The Robins got one back as Alfie May looked to potentially start a late comeback. Andy Williams then headed in from Chris Hussey’s corner to reduce the deficit but it was too little too late for the visitors.
Matchday 20: Cheltenham Town 0-0 Chelsea U21 (Cheltenham win 5-4 on pens)
Competition: Papa John’s Trophy
Date: 26/10/2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Attendance: 2932
Cheltenham Town faced Chelsea under-21s in their last group game of the Papa John’s Trophy. The contest was goalless at full time. The Robins win on penalties awarded them with the bonus point but wasn’t enough to get to the knockout stage.
The best opportunity of the 90 fell to Alfie May but he couldn’t find the back of the net as he fired his volley just past the post. Michael Duff’s side mix of scholars and first teamers faced the Blues for a penalty shootout to earn the bonus point.
The Robins were successful in the shootout scoring all five penalties winning 5-4. The home side had a club record attendance in the Papa John’s Trophy to cheer on the Robins.
Matchday 21: Cheltenham Town 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday
Competition: League One
Date: 30/10/2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Attendance: 5582
As October drew to an end, Cheltenham looked to end the month on a high facing former Premier League side Sheffield Wednesday. The visitors were relegated from the top league in the 1999/00 season and haven’t returned since.
The Robins took the lead in the 14th minute when Kyle Vassell finished after an effort from Ellis Chapman was deflected into his path. His goal was the difference between the sides at the break.
Wednesday started well but the Robins almost caught them out on the break but Kyle Joseph’s attempt was easy for Bailey Peacock-Farrell. Soon after, the equaliser came from Barry Bannan’s corner and Chey Dunkley nodded in.
Bannan provided the cross again to give his team the lead when his free kick was deflected past Scott Flinders by Matty Blair for an own goal.
The wing back redeemed himself when he got his team level in the dying moments of the match to earn his team a point.
Season tickets for Cheltenham's 2022/23 season are now available to buy online at early bird prices.
