Cheltenham Town scored three goals for a second consecutive league match as they defeated Exeter City 3-1 at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium.
A first goal for Aidan Keena gave the Robins the lead, before Caleb Taylor and Alfie May put the Robins back ahead after a second half equaliser for the visitors.
The Robins survived an early scare 12 minutes into the match after Ryan Jackson was adjudged to have felled Demetri Mitchell inside the penalty area. Sam Nombe stepped up to take the penalty, but his tame effort was saved by the legs of Luke Southwood to keep the match scoreless.
Keena would soon make Exeter pay for the missed spot kick after a poor attempt at a clearance fell kindly for May. The forward slid the ball into the path of his strike partner, who converted from eight yards to score his first Robins goal.
The Grecians grew back into the game as the half went on, and Taylor and Tom Bradbury both produced important blocks to deny goal-bound shots.
In the second half, Southwood got down well to deny Joshua Key’s low shot from the edge of the box, before the Robins went up the other end of the pitch and almost doubled their lead, as Sercombe had fierce shot fly narrowly wide of the goal.
The visitors did eventually find a leveller. Mitchell ghosted past Ryan Broom and whipped a cross towards the back post, and Key was able to rise above his marker and head past Southwood.
The Robins were not disheartened and responded almost immediately. Taylor did extremely well to get free from his marker and reach Will Ferry’s corner with his head, directing the ball into the opposite corner of the net.
Four minutes later, and Cheltenham doubled their advantage. Bonds cut out a sloppy pass from Key, and immediately looped a through ball into the feet of May, who coolly slotted the ball past Blackman to score his fourth goal in as many matches to seal the win.
Robins: Southwood (GK), Long ©, Bradbury, Taylor, Jackson (Perry 46’), Ferry, Bonds, Sercombe (Rea 75’), Broom, May (Olayinka 83’), Keena (Goodwin 75’)
Unused: MacDonald (GK), Baggott, Williams
Exeter: Blackman (GK), Mitchell, Collins, Stansfield (Scott 71’), Nombe, White (Caprice 87’), Key, Aimson ©, Chauke (McDonald 71’), Sweeney, Grounds (Coley 87’)
Unused: Lee (GK), Sparkes, Harper
Attendance: 5102 (1330 away)
Referee: A Backhouse