Cheltenham v Torquay - Chasing the dream

I have one of my increasingly irregular trips out to Whaddon Road tonight and I’m looking forward to seeing how the Robins are getting on when they face fellow play-off chasers Torquay.

Mark Yates boys are looking for their first win in seven and they have alternated between draws and defeats in the last six games – should they continue this run they should lose tonight!

But like Yates, I believe that they are good enough to turn things around. And it’s not too late.

Cheltenham are still only seven points off the play-off places and a win against Torquay will see the Gulls reeled in. The visitors are currently on 43 points compared to Cheltenham’s 40, but have a much better goal difference.

Cheltenham midfielder Marlon Pack recognises how frustrated the home support are, but has said to the local media (link to full article below):

“There is nobody more frustrated than us. We just need to put our finger on what's been going wrong and get a scrappy 1-0 win to get confidence back and kick on for the rest of the season."

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/sport/Cheltenham-Town-Players-frustrated-8211-Pack/article-3248637-detail/article.html

Young Blackpool loanee defender Ashley Eastham has already been ruled out by the club after finding himself in a car accident at the weekend, but fortunately he is physically unharmed. Unfortunately winger Josh Low remains sidelined with an injury and so it will be down to his midfield colleagues to supply hot shot striker Wes Thomas with his ammunition. Thomas has already scored 16 League and Cup goals this season.

Torquay boss Paul Buckle’s major injury concern is striker Billy Kee, 20, who suffered an ankle injury during Saturday’s game against Southend and the Torquay boss will be hoping that the lad – who has scored six goals in eleven League starts – makes a speedy recovery.

It’s true I haven’t been to Whaddon Road as much as I would have liked this season, but during my last visit I noticed that the pitch was starting to cut up more than it had in previous seasons.

Cheltenham have developed a reputation over the years for having a great playing surface – which would certainly suit Yate’s style of play – but like many other clubs who share their grounds (in this case Gloucester City FC) the pitch has suffered this term.

Down at Bristol Rovers it won’t be too much longer before the Mem resembles Derby’s Baseball Ground in the winters of the mid-70s which in turn looked like a Somme battlefield.

Of course the problem these clubs have is to balance the needs of the parent club with the much needed revenue a ground share can provide. It’s a tough call for the directors, but worth bearing in mind when the odd pass goes astray or a player blazes over the bar when the ball rises up at the most inopportune moment.

Maybe Mark Yates would be well advised to bring in a couple of non-league cloggers to see the Robins through their home fixtures.