A battling display from the Robins saw Darrell Clarke's side earn an excellent 2-0 win over Oxford United at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium.
Rob Street opened the scoring in the 34th minute before being sent off moments later for an elbow.
The pressure inevitably came from the visitors in the second half but they soon had Ruben Rodrigues sent off to even the numbers.
The killer blow was landed soon after through Will Goodwin's 76th minute finish.
Speaking after the game, Robins manager Clarke said:
“I thought it was a really good performance and I'm proud of everyone today, even more so when we were down to 10 men for a period of time.
“We started the game very well, managed the game well and created opportunities.
“We certainly would’ve been everyone’s away banker today and we are glad to prove the form wrong.”
The Robins set about putting their stamp on proceedings from the first whistle with a couple of forays forward. Aidan Keena’s looping shot had to be clawed away by U's keeper James Beadle.
That good start was nearly undone in the 11th minute when Curtis Davies’ attempted back pass beat Luke Southwood and trickled just wide of the post to the relief of the defender.
The Robins then took the lead with Liam Sercombe’s corner falling to Street who, on the edge of the box, struck a sweet strike into the far corner.
However, his day would take a turn for the worse minutes later as his arm caught Stephan Negru, giving referee Scott Simpson no choice but to hand him his marching orders.
With the half-time whistle seconds away, the Robins looked destined to double their lead but Sercombe’s effort from a couple of yards rose high over the bar.
The second half began with immediate pressure from the visitors, with Brannagan’s driving effort saved before Rodrigues managed to put an effort over from the penalty spot with the goal gaping in front of him.
Another warning shot was then fired from the visitors before they were reduced to 10 men themselves, Rodrigues the man to go after a second bookable offence.
Spurred on by the dismissal, the Robins resumed their hunt for a second and found it in the 76th minute after George Lloyd’s shot came to Goodwin who spun and rolled it cooly past Beadle.
The remaining minutes ticked by without too much alarm as Lewis Freestone was called into action with a super sliding block to deny Sonny Perkins.
CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-4-3): Southwood; Bevan, Davies, Freestone; Long (c), Sercombe (Chapman 83), Pett, B. Williams; Keena (Lloyd 56), Street, Goodwin. Subs not used: Harris (Gk), Bradbury, Horton, Peupion, Butler-Oyedeji.
OXFORD UNITED (4-3-2-1): Beadle; Stevens (Edwards 65), Negru, Thorniley, Brown; McGuane (McEachran 80), Brannagan; Mills (Murphy 46), Rodrigues, Bodin (Goodrham 80); Harris (Perkins 88). Subs not used: Eastwood (Gk), McEachran, Smyth
REFEREE: S Simpson
ATTENDANCE: 5,049 (1,517 from Oxford)