Michael Flynn saluted his Cheltenham side for an “excellent away performance” after they won 2-1 at Colchester.
Jordan Thomas’ first-half brace sealed the Robins’ first away League Two victory of the season, after Lyle Taylor had levelled for the hosts.
Thomas gave Cheltenham a fifth-minute lead when he slid the ball home from two yards after Ethon Archer had curled a cross into the six-yard box.
Colchester equalised in the 27th minute when Taylor clinically fired home after being sent through on goal by Samson Tovide.
But Cheltenham scored what proved to be the winner in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when Colchester conceded possession in midfield and Thomas advanced towards goal, before seeing his deflected shot sail past wrong-footed goalkeeper Matt Macey.
Cheltenham boss Flynn said: “I thought it was an excellent away performance.
“We knew they had quality – I know the players they’ve got and the Cowleys’ experience and they’ve got a big budget as well so we knew they could hurt us if we let them.
“I think (Samson) Tovide going off helped, I’ve got to be honest – he’s an outstanding prospect. He’s 20 years of age, he’s strong, he’s quick, he’s competitive so I was over the moon he went off – I hope he’s OK in terms of his injury.
“We then changed the formation and went to a 3-4-3. We knew where we could expose them and that’s exactly what we had worked on this week.
“I’ve got to give the boys credit because they’ve actually executed what we’re telling them almost to the letter of the law.
“Yes there were a couple of scary moments in the end but that’s where players have come in and haven’t been in for a while.”
Colchester slipped to 20th in the table and head coach Danny Cowley said: “I am disappointed in myself, I’m disappointed in the players and I’m disappointed for the supporters, because they’ve had four years of this kind of level of performance.
“It was well short of what I expect from my teams and it hurts a lot.
“It’s my team and I take complete ownership and responsibility for that in terms of the way that we’re trying to play, the way that we train them, the team selection, all of the things that come with it.
“The focus for two or three weeks had very much been against the ball and drilling the basics of defending.
“We found some rhythm in the second half in the Carlisle game and wanted to try and build on that so we spent a lot of the week focusing on work with the ball but we can’t put both sides of the game together, that’s the truth.”
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
