Rushden & D 1 vs 2  Cheltenham


3rd April 1999 - Attendance 6,312 with 'hundreds' of Cheltenham fans locked outside unable to get in........

There is an old adage (maybe some feel overemployed) that "its not over until the fat lady sings", and this top of the table thriller, played out in front of the season's highest gate (with several hundred Cheltenham fans locked out.....  sure proved that point. With 88 minutes gone, the Rushden Supporters were singing something about being Champions, and the fat lady was rehearsing her lines... But there is another adage made famous by Jimmy Greaves that "Its a funny old game", and the memory of the events that occurred in the last two or three minutes will stay with those Cheltenham fans inside the ground forever.

Rushden set out their stall early on and came close several times before they scored after 21 minutes when the ball bounced kindly from a free kick for ex- Robin Miguel De Souza to slot home from close range giving Book no chance. Jim Rodwell and Mike Duff were early victims of (another) poor refereeing display. Duff was set free on the right and his snap shot thudded against the near post and away for a goal kick. Bailey and Howells worked hard to set up Norton whose shot was turned round by Smith in the Diamonds goal. Howells was booked for a late challenge and soon after Collins scythed down Bloomer and received a yellow card. Brough came up for a corner and headed just wide as Cheltenham finished the half strongly.
Half time came and went with the pattern as before, with both sides breaking quickly and Collins set up Heggs after outpacing Howarth, but the shot was easily dealt with by Book. Rushden won a corner soon after and this time Howarth won the duel to deny De Souza a chance.

Howells was beginning to find space down the inside left channel and could have done better having done all the hard work with one searching run. Victory got forward as Cheltenham looked for the equaliser and set up Grayson whose shot went over on the volley. Banks denied Collins at the other end and a corner from Cooper went straight through everybody and wide. Then came a substitution that was to prove the turning point. Russell MIlton (who comes in from rough treatment from sections of the Cheltenham crowd) came on and soon showed how easy football is when played simply and accurately, replacing Bob Bloomer and Mark Freeman came on for Neil Howarth.The latter looked an uneccesary move, especially a little later when Dennis Bailey limped off, with the option to move John Brough up only available by switching to 4 at the back.

But as usual when we are forced to dismiss the 5 at the back formation things improved and we suddenly found more space, with Milton linking well with Victory and Howells down the left side. Milton became the fifth player booked for a harmless challenge and Heggs and West (while warming up for impeding Duff) soon followed. With the electronic scoreboard in the corner of Rushden's lavish ground showing 88 minutes we had chewed our last nail and were beginning to think of defeat - silly that with this Robins team, because within the space of three minutes it all went pear shaped for the Diamonds. With the electronic scoreboard at the far end of the ground showing 90 minutes all manner of unthinkable events unfolded before the disbelieving eyes of the Rushden fans, and feelings that still bring a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye of Cheltenham Fans young and old..........

Milton took a short corner to Mike Duff, somehow on the left side of the pitch and he sent a great cross over to the far post with his right foot, straight onto Freeman's head - he made no mistake 1-1, we had grabbed a point - come on ref - blow that whistle. But better was to come just moments later, Freeman again was involved pumping a long ball up that Brough won in the air, knocking it on to Grayson who beat Rodwell to the ball to send a shot spinning into the top corner as he fell, soon to be covered in gratefull Cheltenham players. The scenes behind the goal could only be described as mass hysteria as the sudden and dramatic consequences of the last gasp events began to sink in, suddenly the singing at the other end stopped and the chants of 'Red Army' began.


Never to be forgotten moments........