Cheltenham Town vs Gresley Rovers
Gresley fumed over a dismal refereeing decision that turned the game at Whaddon Road on Saturday but there was no arguing that Cheltenham deserved the points.
There was some validity to manager Steve Dolby's argument afterwards although Cheltenham, on the balance of play, had deserved the points on Rovers' prvious two visits - both of which ended in 1-1 draws.
Dolby was quite properly incensed by Fairford's referee Dave Campbell's 40th-minute decision to award a penalty against Stuart Ford - the more so after the official confessed afterwards: "I got it wrong."
Campbell held his and up after revealing that a linesman had told him during the interval that Ford had not, as the referee had believed, pulled back Jason Eaton during a goalmouth scramble.
The confession begged two questions: why did the referee award a penalty for a foul he did not see; and why did the linesman fail to inform him of his mistake at a more pertinent time: ie, before Jimmy Smith had converted the kick?
Both remain unanswered, and Rovers are the sorer for it. Up to falling behind, they had looked capable of matching their hosts; if not for fluency, then certainly for effort.
While the Robins made a string of first half chances, so did Rovers, arguably better ones. Once Smith had added his second in the first minute of the second half, however, Cheltenham went on to dominate and might have had more goals.
Rovers, buoyed by their midweek dose of Eton Park tonic, had started brightly and confidently, making their hosts chase the ball.
With 11 minutes gone, they created their first real chance. Richard Denby and Ady Mann working a short free kick routine on the right of the Town box, and Mann curling a shot inches wide when his skipper's cross cleared only the 18-yard line.
Cheltenham were enraged when Mr Campbell turned down their penalty appeals after Paul Wardle's challenge on Guiseppe Licata even though the Rovers man clearly won the ball.
Wardle then popped up at the other end in search of his elusive first goal for Gresley only to head Denby's corner fractionally too high.
Immediately, Mann's one-two with Dave Taylor put the midfielder clear in the penalty area but, although his low shot was well-struck, Mark Teasdale got down to save, Steve Bradshaw narrowly failing to connect with the rebound.
Rovers had enjoyed their best spell of the game and now it was the Robins turn to show up as an attacking force. There was a let off when Eaton missed his kick in front of goal, then Nathan Foster heroically diverted Smith's goalbound shot for a corner after a lightening move had dismembered Rovers.
Jimmy Wring surprised Rovers with a venomous angled drive that rebounded off a post as Cheltenham's pressure grew, but then Mr Campbell mad his first controversial decision.
Taylor was through on goal when Matt Lovell felled him from behind, but even though a red card looked possible and a yellow a certainty, the official produced neither.
He did not even award a free kick when Richard Wardle was felled by Licata as he threatened to break through the centre, and Cheltenham went downfield to score.
From a right wing corner Eaton challenged at the near post, then went down. It was impossible to tell at that stage why a penalty had been given, but Smith ignored Gresley's complaints to bury a shot to Ford's left corner.
Rovers were still fuming when, 30 seconds into the second half, Wring escaped unmarked down the right and placed his cross perfectly for Smith to head in at the far post.
Smith then had another effort disallowed for offside after Wring's cross had come back off a post and that set the tone for the remainder.
Taylor found himself forced wide by Teasdale when Bradshaw played him clear and Mann fired into the side netting after a Denby corner from Rovers best, indeed only chances.
Cheltenham Town (1) 2
Gresley Rovers (0) 0
Scorers: Smith 40 (pen), 46 (Cheltenham)
Cheltenham Town: Teasdale, Lovell, Read, Banks, Jones, Wright, Licata, Wring, Eaton, Smith, Howell. Subs not used: Benton, Waters, Thomas (gk)
Gresley Rovers: Ford, Foster (McGovern 72), Horseman, Denby, P Wardle (Evans 67), Stanborough, R Wardle, Marsden, Bradshaw (Hurst 67), Mann, Taylor
Gresley man-of-the-match: Richard Wardle
Referee: D N Campbell (Fairford)
Attendance: 607
