MATCH REPORT - Cheltenham 3 - 2 Yeovil Town

22/4/1999 - Nationwide Conference - "We're in the Football League"

With thanks to those excellent chaps at Super Dales Boots.....

What can we say? What can we possibly say that could convey the feelings we all have or describe the ebb and flow, the conflicting emotions of an extraordinary game that was finally won by Cheltenham in the seventh minute of injury time to clinch the Conference title and promotion to the Football League. There was barely time for it to sink in before the final whistle went and the crowd raced onto the pitch at the end to join in the celebrations.

All round, this was probably the best game played at Whaddon Road this season and a deserved climax to the championship race. The kick-off was delayed for fifteen minutes in order to squeeze the last of a capacity crowd into the ground. Cheltenham made just one change from Tuesday, Bloomer returning to the side and Yates dropping to the bench. Cheltenham got off to the worst possible start, conceding a goal inside the first ninety seconds, a free kick headed on at the edge of the area and then headed over Book by Pickard. Fortunately, we had no time to dwell on the deficit as within two more minutes Cheltenham were level. A cross from the left was headed towards goal by Victory and the keeper could only push it onto the post, and in the ensuing scramble Victory managed to poke the ball home. The first half was played at a frantic pace with both sides looking to push forward, but it was Cheltenham who scored next after 21 minutes when another cross from Duff on the right was met perfectly at the near post by Grayson and his bullet header flew into the corner of the net. The Yeovil keeper always looked suspect at crosses and was unwilling to come off his line all night. As the half wore on Cheltenham dominated more and more and for long periods Yeovil could barely get out of their own half. We could not make the pressure tell with a third goal, however, and half-time came with the score still 2-1.

The second half was just two minutes old when Yeovil equalised. A corner from the right was handled by Victory under some pressure and although the ball was going nowhere Cheltenham could ahve few complaints with the referee's penalty award. Patmore kept his nerve to hit the top corner, although Book went the right way. Yeovil grew in confidence after this, but Cheltenham, as they have done for most of the season, did not allow them a sniff at goal. Cheltenham continued to press forward as often as possible but Bailey and Grayson were too often isolated up front to make much of an impact. With thirteen minutes to go, however, the balance once more swung in Cheltenham's favour with the dismissal of one of Yeovil's centre-backs for a second bookable offence. The visitors had already thrown on extra attackers and were left dangerously short at the back. Cheltenham sensed their chance and threw everything at them- the introduction of Knight for Bailey gave added width and Brough was pushed up front. Yeovil's goalkeeper chose this moment to have surely the best ten minutes of his career, making a great double save, the second whem it appeared Howells must score, and then diving to tip away first Knight's shot across him and then Norton's drive to the near post. In between Howells had hit the inside of the Yeovil post with an excellent effort, but as time ran out we had just about decided that a point wasn't a bad result. There had been a number of injuries in the second half, but even the most ardent Cheltenham supporters must have felt the ref's watch had stopped when a free-kick was awarded at the corner of the Yeovil area as the sixth minute of injury time was completed. The free-kick- we thought taken by Howells although Teletext disagrees- was a simple one curled to the far post where a forest of players rose for the ball, and almost unbelievably it was headed into the net, we later discovered by Michael Duff. For one heart-stopping moment we feared the goal would be disallowed, but it stood, and absolute pandemonium broke out on the terraces. There was still time for a Yeovil free-kick which was only half-cleared and the shot back in was well saved by Book, but seconds later the game was over and the greatest victory in Cheltenham's history was complete.

Two years and three months ago we were going nowhere. A fifth successive season in the Southern League was shaping up much as had the previous four, with the club always high in the table but unable to sustain a real challenge. Then, as everyone knows, Steve Cotterill was given his chance, and the rest is history. Next season we will be playing in the Football League for the first time in our history, and it hasn't really sunk in yet. Let's savour it. Many football supporters go through a lifetime without experiencing what we've had in the last two years. Those who remember the dark days of the early 80's will surely have to pinch themselves a few times in the next few days, but let's say it one more time. Cheltenham Town are the Conference champions.

CHELTENHAM: Book, Duff, Victory, Banks, Freeman, Brough, Howells, Bloomer, Grayson, Bailey, Norton (Knight).