The Robins Nest Forum

Overall a draw would have been a fair result we were really poor for sixty minutes but the better team the final thirty. Wrexham created three good chances and looked good with the ball but never looked like they would win it. We didn't play well, first half was quite possibly the worst we've played but when backs against the wall we stood up and won the game, you could just see we had that bit more quality although I would be happy to sign Vose come January!

Phillips - very shaky start made up for by two decent saves but still not convinced with him on crosses (7)
Dickie - looks a good player but given no support in the first half (7)
Downes - solid enough won almost every header (6)
Parslow - again pick of the centre halves and tucked away the equaliser well enough (7)
Barthram - his quietest game but again not helped by zero support first half (6)
Pell - our worst player first half and contributed very little, when he came inside he dominated (6)
Storer - very quiet first half, bang on it second half (6)
Munns - given no time on the ball and his quietest game (5)
Hall - at fault for their goal along with Downes, played well up until today so will forgive him (6)
AMS - battled well but no service for first sixty minutes, what a goal to win it though (7)
Wright - battled well but isolated (6)

Subs:
Rowe - neat and tidy player, did well when he came on (7)
Waters - looked better than when he started, like he had a point to prove (6)
Cooke - worked hard and scared their defenders (6)

1 poor kick doesn't make a very shaky start robin

More than one poor kick, poor communication and poor kicking in general, every corner he wasn't assured. Made up for that with two very good stops mind.

You do realise that Phillips made SEVERAL top, top saves, right? A 7 is an insult.

I think your being a it harsh the poor kick, poor communication came in one incident

He made two from what I remember Hubert and he's paid to make those saves. Will praise him for those saves but he needs to do more for me at set pieces and with his distribution.

His distribution including the inch perfect kick to AMS which led to the winner?

He made three saves which I would not expect a Conference keeper to make. He gets a 9 from me - the best goalkeeping performance since Oxford last season.

That save at the end was absolutely fantastic. It the end it was ruled offside but from the PRE I thought that was 2-2.

Cracking result against a very good side; I wouldn't be shocked at all if we bump into them in the play-offs come May.

Several comments about Vose (their 8) tonight, which I concur with; technically very good, always seemed to have a pocket of space with him, never wasted the ball.........BUT for someone playing off the left, always came in on his right, & once we sussed that his influence waned a little.

I also want to raise the considerable connect between this team & the fans as significant; they bust a gut for us & we reciprocate with noise (eventually!); this hasn't happened for a few seasons now, at least. The real test will come when we lose our first match (which we will of course); what happens after THAT will be a big indicator of where we (hope) we are going this season.................

When you look at Johnson's team from front to back - it just highlights the utter rubbish we had to put up with the last couple of years!

Y@tes and Chuckle ruined us, GJ is restoring the pride and hopefully leading us back to league one!

Upgrade everyone by Robins miserly marks by +2 . We were a lot worse against Barrow in the first half and todays oppo were a much better side so I cannot see a basis for most of Robins remarks. I watches a match between two fully committed sides and we came out on top of the ebb and flow. Praise to all the team and anyone mistakes were soon put right.Last year we would have caved in at home to a team like Wrexham.

Tackle of the season so far goes to Storer in the second half. Old style crunching stuff but fair.Brilliant.

Hubert Parry wrote:You do realise that Phillips made SEVERAL top, top saves, right? A 7 is an insult.

Hubert, Robin does not like him, so it does not matter how well he plays.

Totally incorrect Little Mo but don't let that get in the way of stirring things huh?

Robin wrote:Totally incorrect Little Mo but don't let that get in the way of stirring things huh?

With respect Robin, that is rich coming from you.

Hubert Parry wrote:You do realise that Phillips made SEVERAL top, top saves, right? A 7 is an insult.

Commentators and pundits were astonished with how good the saves were. Better than Cech's for Arsenal vs Liverpool.

Not true mate, find me a post where I am stirring things? I'll speak my opinion of course but I won't jump in on another convo and make a claim about another posters point of view which is completely inaccurate.

Anyway, genuinely in no mood to argue, happy to leave it at that and let's celebrate the victory:)

Phillips - very shaky start made up for by two decent saves but still not convinced with him on crosses (7)

Those saves were more than decent. Feck me!

All in all a team that never looks beaten, I knew even at 1 nil we'd get something. We will be there at the end of the season no doubt

Exactly Kiaora, as soon as we equalised I was certain we would win and despite Wrexham throwing everything they had they never looked like scoring.

Phillips was unbelievable tonight!! Watch those 3 saves back Robin. Ok one was offside but we didn't know until afterwards

The commentators said "Dillon Phillips is the reason Cheltenham have won this game".

Truth. AMS's and Parslow's goals had no effect on it whatsoever...

The issue of whether it's a 'fair' result or not is irrelevant. We were the better team because we took two chances (and our striker made one out of nothing) and Wrekham only took one. And our keeper played his part perfectly, as he's expected to do. Simple as that.

There's an old Rugby adage which goes: "Your forwards determine whether or not you win the game while your backs determine by how many points."

I guess that could easily be turned into a football equivalent: "Your defence determines whether or not you lose the game while your attackers determine whether or not you win it."

asl wrote:There's an old Rugby adage which goes: "Your forwards determine whether or not you win the game while your backs determine by how many points."

I guess that could easily be turned into a football equivalent: "Your defence determines whether or not you lose the game while your attackers determine whether or not you win it."

American I know but along similar lines - 'Offense wins matches, defence wins championships'

I'll just stick to normal English - if your defence plays well, you have a good chance of winning or drawing

It was never going to be pretty with GJ in charge. But so far it sure is effective. Getting out of this league is paramount not the aesthetics or mechanics of how we do it. They may have played the nicer football, but scored one, we scored two so we get the three points. Simple really.