Andy is handy for Duff

Exeter City 0 Cheltenham 1

CHELTENHAM boss Michael Duff still expects Exeter to be pushing his League Two leaders at the end of the season.

After Andy Williams’ late goal (Cheltenham celebrate it, above) had given the Robins a 1-0 victory in Devon, Duff said: “I am delighted. It was a really close game between two good teams in difficult conditions.

“Exeter are the top goalscorers in the league by a long way and to keep a clean sheet is really pleasing. They are a proper promotion-chasing team and I expect them to be up there. They have got some good players and they can mix it up.

“Ryan Bowman is a good player and I told the back three if they don’t look after him you don’t win the game. I am really pleased with every aspect of the game.”

It was a harsh defeat on Exeter, who had created the better of the very few chances throughout the game, but the one time they failed to deal with a long Ben Tozer throw proved costly.

Exeter failed to clear their lines and as the ball bobbled around the goalmouth, Williams bundled it over the line.

Matt Taylor felt his team had not done enough to win the game.

He said: “I see it as one point dropped rather than missing out on three. It’s a tough way to lose the game.”

IT is almost beyond belief that goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was told she was not on the 35-strong shortlist for the Team GB squad that will go to the Tokyo Olympics this summer – just 90 minutes before her club game against Everton was due to start.

Hampton (left) promptly had a game to forget as her Birmingham team were beaten 4-0 by Everton.

Birmingham manager Carla Ward was understandably furious, saying: “The girls are going out and she’s in tears.

“We had a kid in floods of tears, and you can see that it’s clearly affected her.

“We were wondering whether to even play her.”

Rightly, the FA has pretty much hung its head in shame.

But, on reflection, Carla, there should have been no “wondering” about it.